Thoughts

[will_to_power37]

I have been pondering something interesting as of late. It never occurred to me until recently to research the philosophy of the commonwealth until I realized how many great philosophers, Muggle and wizard alike, that touch on the subject. What amazes me is how many of them seem to say the same thing, which is that the best government is one under

Comments

[salems_witch]

Even Plato admitted that his Republic would fall and crumble in only a few generations, something with which Aristotle agreed. Having only one person ruling anything with no other check on their power-such as a parliament-almost never works. (Example A: The ancient and medieval British monarchies.) Plato also says that no truly good man would ever want to be the king of the Republic. That he has to be coerced into it, almost blackmailed with the knowledge that he's the best man for the job.

It surprises me somewhat to find students here reading Muggle philosophers. Is it on the curriculum for 7th year Muggle Studies?

[[ooc: Wow, an RP use for the degree I'm getting now. Who'd'a thought? (But also, Argh, they took Cicero off our program and I didn't get to read it. And I don't read Hobbes until next year. So I only have Plato and Aristotle to work with here.)]]

[flaming_lion]

Why would that surprise you? Not everyone here has a seperationist attitude.

[salems_witch]

It surprises me because most of you take segregation in stride without batting an eye.

[will_to_power37]

Most ? I take offense! Percy loves to remind me everyday that I am the strange segregationist around here and I am sure he would be APPALLED if anyone thought the majority of people here think as I do.

((ooc: Voldy is SO having a jest at Percy's expense. I'm hoping you can hear the sarcasm dripping in the above comment. XDD))

[salems_witch]

Hah! No, I think most people here think like the professors do. Which is, actually, how it ought to be. It's just a shame that they're so wrong-minded.

[will_to_power37]

Now this is an interesting concept. What have you against our professors' ways of thinking?

[salems_witch]

Well, that's a rather more complicated question to answer than what I think you're actually asking.

That being said, I think it's wrong of them to perpetuate the segregationist thinking that goes on here. It's their duty to put a stop to it, as they are the ones who have the most hope to change the world we live in-being teachers of the newer generations.

[will_to_power37]

Ah, I believe you're referring to our houses? I rather appreciate it. It is more like reality and acting as if we're all equal certainly doesn't make it so. But I believe since you stem from a very equality-minded culture it WOULD be difficult for you to see the reasoning behind it.

((ooc: I actually have no idea what the point of Houses really is in an educational setting unless it's more like a fraternity only large-scale?))

[salems_witch]

I don't think that everyone is equal nor that they should act as if they were so. (Unless by equal you mean human, in which case, yes. But I certainly don't mean that, so.)

I do think that for a society to function at it's best everyone has to work together to achieve that. By which I mean that everyone has to do their part-whatever part they might be best at, be it the lowest menial labor or the head of the ruling body. Without the ability to function as a unity, everything-every dynasty, empire, kingdom or conglomerate of states-is eventually going to crumble.

And I stem, as you put it, from a culture that is not so different from your's. But that doesn't mean I have to accept it.

[will_to_power37]

I agree with you, but the purpose of education is for one to discover those strengths and differences within a controlled setting so that they better know how to act as a unit. The Houses themselves, of course, are very unified (or, well, I assume they are. My house is very much like a family). In this way, I believe the Hogwarts model to be perfectly healthy for development.

((ooc: here's the real question: how much of this statement does Voldy believe? Because he does *LOVE* Hogwarts. Like a fangirl. But does he agree with you or ????)))

[salems_witch]

I would argue that I think* that's one of purposes of education. Discovering strengths is certainly important. Developing the strengths one already is important as well. But I think* developing new strengths is just as important. Taking the example of the houses and the traits they are supposed to develop in their residents, don't you think that everyone might benefit from learning Ravenclaw's study techniques? Or that more people might benefit from having their loyalty and courage encouraged? I think* that it might be considered cruel to deny all the students the advantages that just the Raveclaw's might be getting.

(*As promised, Mr. Weasley.)

[will_to_power37]

Your assumption is that being in a House creates qualities when in fact it does not. There is nothing that hinders any student from observing and learning from anyone else. However, the difference between say a Ravenclaw and a Gryffindor are the qualities that are possessed naturally and they are qualities that are expressed in classrooms and activities, hence why such things are done with mixed houses, so each can learn from the abilities they observe in others. The denotation of houses simply makes it easier for individual to learn who he is and how he must relate to others in a close proximity.

[salems_witch]

I wasn't making any assumptions; I was using what Mr. Lupin told me, Perhaps I misunderstood what he was saying, but as I understood it, each house is supposed to encourage certain qualities in its residents-particularly those that were either found in the founder or that the founder held in high esteem (I'm not sure which yet, sources seem to be divided on this).

Assuming that that is true, then I don't understand why attempting to foster all of the qualities in all of the students is such a leap. While not everyone may have the natural "cleverness" that is sought in Ravenclaw students, it seems to me that some amount of cleverness could be taught in almost anyone. And it seems like giving everyone those advantages would be better than restricting them to groups

[will_to_power37]

I must disagree with you there. Cleverness cannot be taught. Modes and methods of study can be taught but one cannot teach a person to be clever unless that person has the natural ability or drive to be clever. It is the same with courage or loyalty or any other virtue. You cannot teach them to someone unless they already have within them the potential to learn it. Otherwise would we not all be naturally more equal and able to learn than we are today? We are very diverse and we have been since the dawn of humanity. We like to put so much emphasis on the intellect, but we forget that intellect is a slave to genetics and the natural giftings that we each have. Not everyone can be Minister no matter how hard he tries. It is only those who possess something else, some natural talent for the art, that can do it.

[flaming_lion]

Oh I see, you mean the houses. Well, there is a big difference between seperating people based on their talents and a rejection of muggle culture and one does not actually imply the other. An understanding and integration of muggle and magical culture is encouraged.

Though I think you're right and they ought to encourage more inter house co operation.

((am basing that off the feel I got in the books))

[salems_witch]

At the moment, yes, I mean the houses.