Plato's Theory of Moral Pedagogy in The Republic: A Critical Analysis of Virtue Cultivation and Its Implications for Contemporary Character Education

Abstract

This study conducts a rigorous exegesis of Plato's moral educational framework in The Republic, examining its ontological foundations and practical applicability to modern virtue ethics. Through dialectical analysis of primary texts (Stephanus 376e-412b, 521c-541b) and contemporary scholarship (Nussbaum, 2010; Annas, 2017), we identify three cardinal pillars of Platonic moral pedagogy: (1) the tripartite soul harmonization model where rational (λογιστικόν), spirited (θυμοειδές), and appetitive (ἐπιθυμητικόν) faculties achieve psychic justice (δικαιοσύνη); (2) the mythopoeic conditioning through Noble Lies (γενναῖον ψεῦδος) that establishes social teleology; and (3) the philosopher-king's paideia - a 50-year curriculum integrating mathematical abstraction (ἀριθμητική), dialectics (διαλεκτική), and gymnastic training.