--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The breakdown of Plato's philosophy is…" description: "\"The breakdown of Plato's philosophy is made apparent in the fact that he could not trust to gradual improvements in education to bring about a better s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/799/john-dewey-545_accidents_the-breakdown-of-plato-s-philosophy-is-m_980522.png" --- # The breakdown of Plato's philosophy is made apparent in… ![“The breakdown of Plato's philosophy is made apparent in the fact that he could not trust to gradual improvements in education to bring about a better society which should then improve education, and so on indefinitely. Correct education could not come into existence until an ideal state existed…” quote by John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/799/john-dewey-545_accidents_the-breakdown-of-plato-s-philosophy-is-m_980522.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/799/john-dewey-545_accidents_the-breakdown-of-plato-s-philosophy-is-m_980522.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/799/john-dewey-545_accidents_the-breakdown-of-plato-s-philosophy-is-m_980522.png) > “The breakdown of Plato's philosophy is made apparent in the fact that he could not trust to gradual improvements in education to bring about a better society which should then improve education, and so on indefinitely. Correct education could not come into existence until an ideal state existed, and after that education would be devoted simply to its conservation. For the existence of this state he was obliged to trust to some happy accident by which philosophic wisdom should happen to coincide with possession of ruling power in the state.” [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Plato believed that education could only thrive in an ideal state, implying that without perfect governance, educational reforms are futile. **In simple terms:** Education depends on ideal governance. Key Takeaway Improve society to improve education. Themes education governance idealism philosophy Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - Policy making - school administration - community development - reform movements Key Concepts Political theory education reform Questions to Reflect On - Can education progress without an ideal state? - What reforms work in imperfect societies? A Different Perspective Ideal states are rarely achievable, limiting practical application. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) [Breakdown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakdown/) [Conservation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservation/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Happy accidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy-accidents/) [Ideals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideals/) [Improvement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvement/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Possession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possession/) ## Related quotes > [“Plato’s philosophy, “In life be kind, because everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-sex/plato-s-philosophy-in-life-be-kind-because-everyone-you-meet-is/) [Nikki Sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-sex/) > [Plato is philosophy, and philosophy, Plato,--at once the glory and the shame of mankind, since neither Saxon nor Roman have availed to add any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/plato-is-philosophy-and-philosophy-plato-at-once-the-glory-and-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [And what is it, according to Plato, that philosophy is supposed to do? Nothing less than to render violence to our sense of ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-goldstein/and-what-is-it-according-to-plato-that-philosophy-is-supposed-to-do/) [Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/) > [Plato's philosophy is a dignified preface to future religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-wilhelm-friedrich-schlegel/plato-s-philosophy-is-a-dignified-preface-to-future-religion/) [Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-wilhelm-friedrich-schlegel/) > [But progress in knowledge has made us aware of the superficiality of Plato's lumping of individuals and their original powers into a few sharply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/but-progress-in-knowledge-has-made-us-aware-of-the-superficiality-of/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [You get all the puzzle parts together enough to say the puzzle is complete. It's a script. In the process of realizing that, new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/you-get-all-the-puzzle-parts-together-enough-to-say-the-puzzle-is/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [“There are no mistakes, just happy accidents.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-ross/there-are-no-mistakes-just-happy-accidents/) [Bob Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-ross/) > [My life has been a series of slightly happy accidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-krishna-acharya/my-life-has-been-a-series-of-slightly-happy-accidents/) [Vijay Krishna Acharya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-krishna-acharya/) > [There are no mistakes, only happy accidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-ross/there-are-no-mistakes-only-happy-accidents/) [Bob Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-ross/) > [I spent 10 or 15 years doing visual effects and, if I learned anything from that time, it's that you do the best work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-edwards/i-spent-10-or-15-years-doing-visual-effects-and-if-i-learned-anything/) [Gareth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-edwards/) > [In terms of how the music developed, it was my normal process, which I would say is really a hybrid process of sketching on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-richter/in-terms-of-how-the-music-developed-it-was-my-normal-process-which-i/) [Max Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-richter/) > [The best artists are the ones that work the hardest, and if you work hard enough, you'll eventually experience the happy accidents that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-casablancas/the-best-artists-are-the-ones-that-work-the-hardest-and-if-you-work/) [Julian Casablancas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-casablancas/) > [The process of art-making is full of happy accidents - what fun!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-elliott-slade/the-process-of-art-making-is-full-of-happy-accidents-what-fun/) Max Elliott Slade > [Improvise when obstacles present themselves. Happy accidents are magic! Have an open mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-bonifacio/improvise-when-obstacles-present-themselves-happy-accidents-are-magic/) [Matthew Bonifacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-bonifacio/) > [We must judge a government by its general tendencies and not by its happy accidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/we-must-judge-a-government-by-its-general-tendencies-and-not-by-its/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) ## More by John Dewey > [“The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-deepest-urge-in-human-nature-is-the-desire-to-be-important/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [“Empirically, things are poignant, tragic, beautiful, humorous, settled, disturbed, comfortable, annoying, barren, harsh, consoling, splendid, fearful; are such immediately and in their own right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/empirically-things-are-poignant-tragic-beautiful-humorous-settled/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [Experiences in order to be educative must lead out into an expanding world of subject matter, a subject matter of facts or information and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/experiences-in-order-to-be-educative-must-lead-out-into-an-expanding/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [A tribe, let us say, is warlike. 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The notion that some subjects and methods and that acquaintance with certain facts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/there-is-no-such-thing-as-educational-value-in-the-abstract-the/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [Men live in a community in virtue of the things which they have in common; and communication is the way in which they come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/men-live-in-a-community-in-virtue-of-the-things-which-they-have-in/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [We can have facts without thinking but we cannot have thinking without facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/we-can-have-facts-without-thinking-but-we-cannot-have-thinking/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [But progress in knowledge has made us aware of the superficiality of Plato's lumping of individuals and their original powers into a few sharply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/but-progress-in-knowledge-has-made-us-aware-of-the-superficiality-of/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [Even the alleged benefits of war, so far as more than alleged, spring from the fact that conflict of peoples at least enforces intercourse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/even-the-alleged-benefits-of-war-so-far-as-more-than-alleged-spring/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [“When the organization called soul is free, moving and operative, initial as well as terminal, it is spirit. Qualities are both static, substantial, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/when-the-organization-called-soul-is-free-moving-and-operative/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [Since in reality there is nothing to which growth is relative save more growth, there is nothing to which education is subordinate save more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/since-in-reality-there-is-nothing-to-which-growth-is-relative-save/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [Creative thinking will improve as we relate the new fact to the old and all facts to each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/creative-thinking-will-improve-as-we-relate-the-new-fact-to-the-old/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) [Explore all 486 John Dewey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) ## More Accidents quotes > [Almost all accidents take place because of human distraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/almost-all-accidents-take-place-because-of-human-distraction/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [It was no accident, no coincidence, that the seasons came round and round year after year. It was the Lord speaking to us all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/it-was-no-accident-no-coincidence-that-the-seasons-came-round-and/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) > [No, I think most astronauts recognize that the space shuttle program is very high-risk, and are prepared for accidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/no-i-think-most-astronauts-recognize-that-the-space-shuttle-program/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [The only way to have a funeral is to invite everyone who ever knew the person and just wait for the accident to happen-somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/the-only-way-to-have-a-funeral-is-to-invite-everyone-who-ever-knew/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [Good films are not made by accident, nor is good photography. You can have good things happen, on occasion, by accident that can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-willis/good-films-are-not-made-by-accident-nor-is-good-photography-you-can/) [Gordon Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-willis/) > [By education I am an Englishman, by views an internationalist, by culture a Muslim and a Hindu only by accident of birth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/by-education-i-am-an-englishman-by-views-an-internationalist-by/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [I made out with a homeless guy by accident. I had no idea -- he was really tan, he had no shoes on. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-schumer/i-made-out-with-a-homeless-guy-by-accident-i-had-no-idea-he-was/) [Amy Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-schumer/) > [Naturally I feel no shame in writing these things because of the time which separates the moment when they are written--when only I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-ernaux/naturally-i-feel-no-shame-in-writing-these-things-because-of-the-time/) [Annie Ernaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-ernaux/) > [In a city where you walk around, it's impossible to plan your day and your life as accidents will happen, you'll overhear things, bump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-schwartzman/in-a-city-where-you-walk-around-it-s-impossible-to-plan-your-day-and/) [Jason Schwartzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-schwartzman/) > [I don't think it's by accident that I was first attracted to translating two French women poets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-hacker/i-don-t-think-it-s-by-accident-that-i-was-first-attracted-to/) [Marilyn Hacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-hacker/) > [Despite my mentors advice that I would never go to heaven fishing with a weighted nymph and a float, I took it up. 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