Did Plato believe that humans were basically good or did he believe that humans were naturally corrupt?

Question

thank you i appreciate the feed back

Answer 1

Plato tended to follow Socrates' lead on this particular issue.

He states (at great length) in his book 'The Republic' that a person who does harm to others is actually harming himself far more.  Since no sane person would knowingly harm themselves, he felt that the only possible explanation was that any people who performed these acts simply didn't know any better.  And that is why Plato saw it as his life's duty to help educate others so they WOULD know better.

So I guess you could call that 'basically good', though from his point of view that's 'basically not crazy'.

Answer 2

It has been a few years since I read philosophy but I seem to remember that the greeks did not believe in a naturally currupt or naturally good in the way that Christian philosophy does. Instead they view the idea as humans are flawed and can strive to the perfect form but will never reach it.

Answer 3

Well I don't know what Plato thought. But I think we're naturally corrupt. Why do you think you have to teach a baby how to be good. They're just not naturally good.

Answer 4

I don't know what Plato believed either but I think that they are naturally good.  

It is what they learn growing up that makes they corrupt.  Morality is either learned, taught, or a combination of both, but barring a physical defect, a child has a natural ability to empathize with other's pain.  

That makes them good until they are taught otherwise.