Blog #6

1. "Wisdom begins in wonder" 

I agree with Socrates here. When you wonder something, it gets you thinking, and once you think, you want to know if what you think is right. How did Thomas Edison think of creating a light bulb? He wondered what he could use as a light besides candles which are waxy and go out easily. He wondered about how he could create something that is contained, something more reliable than a candle. From that wondering, he used his imagination and previous  knowledge, this led to greater wisdom. 

The only thing I wonder is, what did Socrate's wisdom start as? If wisdom begins in wonder, what did he wonder?

2. He is basically saying that justice is when the ones who are considered the best, the most intelligent, and most courageous, are the ones who make the decisions. That the ones who have the best ability to control a society and decide what is best for that society, should be in charge of that society. This is where Plato came up with the idea of an ideal state being an aristocracy. 

3. I think the positive element of Plato's ideal republic is that there would be many strong intelligent people running a society. The Negative element of this would be that some people who weren't looked upon as strong or intelligent wouldn't have a say in how the society is run. 

4. I believe that the intelligent people would run the society nicely, and that they would make great leaders because they actually have brains. I also think it's unfair for people to be judged on what they do and do not know, or by how much strength they have or do not have. To me, it is unjust that members of the lower class of a society wouldn't have a voice, which means they would not have a say in the way their state was run. So my ideal society would be basically a democracy because all people, no matter what their role in society was, would have a voice to choose the leaders and have a say in how their state was run.

5. I think it means you need to be open to different ideas. Even if you don't understand something, don't dismiss it. Look beyond what you think in order to try to understand it, don't just criticize it. You need to be open and willing to realize that everyone has different perspectives, and be able to see life through their eyes.

SPARTA VS. ATHENS (blog #5)

1. If you were a young teenage girl of the citizen class, in which city-state would you rather live? Why?

I would rather live in Sparta because girls were educated. At the age of 7 they would learn to read and write. They were also educated in gymnastics, athletics and survival skills. Girls were basically treated as equals to men, instead of lower class. The goal for this was to produce a strong healthy offspring. Athenian girls received little education. Their education included spinning, weaving, and other domestic arts. They were usually kept at home and had NO political power. In Sparta, girls had way more options, because of this and knowing myself, i wouldn't want to be sitting around at home spinning or weaving. I would rather be educated.

2. If you were a slave, in which would you rather live? Why?

If I was a slave I would rather live in Sparta. This is because, in Athens, when you were a slave you were the lowest of all classes. Slaves had NO rights, and an owner could kill their slave if they wanted to. In Sparta, they didn't exactly have slaves, they had Helots, who were treated like slaves. They gave half of their produce to Spartiate citizens who owned land, but thats all. You couldn't be killed by your owner. 

3. If you were a boy in the citizen class, i which would you rather live? Why?

If I was a boy, I would rather live in Athens, because in Sparta, you were basically dedicated to the military from

the age of 6 to 60. Citizen class boys in Athens would be educated from the age of 5 to 14. And for two years (until

they were 20) they would attend military training. In Sparta boys were taken from their parents at the age of 7, to be

trained for warfare. They were only given cloaks, no cloths. And little food so they had to steal to learn survival skills.

I definitely wouldn't want to have to steal to survive, or spend more than half my life in military training.

4. If you were a young soldier, in which would you rather live? Why?

If I was a young soldier, I would want to live in Athens because In Sparta you weren't loved at all. You had to

steal for food, and you only were given a cloak to wear. No shoes, no cloths, just a cloak. You had to be in the 

militaryuntil you were 60! That's very long. In Athens you had to be in training till you were twenty but only for two 

years. In Sparta you were basically dedicated to the state from the age of 6 to 60. You could marry at the age of 30, 

but you had to live in the barracks with the other soldiers. That would suck. To marry and not be able to see your wife.

What's the point of that? They were educated in choral dancing, reading and writing, but athletics and military training

were emphasized. In Athens it was way more calm and not as strict. In my opinion it was better.

5.If you were a wealthy person in the citizen class, in which would you rather live? Why?

If I was a wealthy person in the citizen class, I would rather live in Athens because you could basically indulge 

in your luxuries. In Sparta they believed that everything should be dispersed equally. So if you were in the citizen 

class no one would have more or less. They focused on military strengths, not having luxuries. In Athens, it was 

mainly about luxuries. Even though women didn't have rights and were basically owned by their husbands, it would

be better to be wealthy. In Sparta if you were a man and wealthy, you wouldn't be able to indulge in your wealth

because you would have to be in the military for more than half your life. So I would rather use my wealth, then

contain it.

6. Decide to represent either Athens or Sparta and debate which is the best place to live.

I would rather live in Sparta for various reasons. First, they weren't just about luxuries and self centered things,

they were very self sufficient and learned how to survive with the bare minimum. Second, they were very brave

warriors, they had a strong army and knew how to defend their Polis (city-state). They gave up the finer things in life  

such as their comfort, luxuries and culture so they could build up their military force. Which payed off in the end.

Finally, unlike Athens, Sparta actually treated women as equals to men. In Athens, The women and girls were kept at

with no participation in politics or sports. Wives were considered property of their husbands. The only thing they were

responsible for was spinning weaving and other domestic arts. In Sparta, girls were educated in reading and writing

and could indeed participate ini sports. As I said before, they were treated as equals to men, Unlike Athens, where

they were treated like useless property. In Sparta women were free to move around and enjoy a great deal of freedom.

The domestic arts were usually left for other classes to do. Spartan women could own and control their property,

and weren't treated like it. In time of war, they were expected to guard their husbands property from invaders until

their husbands got back. In Athens, it would suck to be a women.