Topics Philosophers

Question Why do people make fun about the theory that philosophers should be the rulers of the state? Did Plato or Aristotle or Epicurus govern their "Universities" badly?

Accepted:
July 13, 2009

Comments

Anyone who has sat through a life time of philosophy department meetings as we muddle through making another hash of things will smile wryly at the idea that your average philosopher would be any good at running a cake shop let alone something important.

Fortunately, in any sizeable group of philosophers, there's usually two or three people who happen to be politically and managerially ept. So most, though certainly not all, departments function reasonably successfully. But that's a happy accident.

Perhaps it would be good if more political philosophers had more input to government -- but which political philosophers, since they can profoundly disagree? But you don't want philosophers actually running the show, as arts of government don't correlate at all with philosophical ability.

Question Why do people make fun about the theory that philosophers should be the rulers of the state? Did Plato or Aristotle or Epicurus govern their "Universities" badly? Accepted:July 13, 2009

Question Why do people make fun about the theory that philosophers should be the rulers of the state? Did Plato or Aristotle or Epicurus govern their "Universities" badly?

Accepted:
July 13, 2009