Body Quote by Plato
“Just as it would be madness to settle on medical treatment for the body of a person by taking an opinion poll of the neighbors, so it is irrational to prescribe for the body politic by polling the opinions of the people at large.”
About This Quote
Source Dialogue: Republic, Plato, c. 380 BC
Political decisions should not be made by popular vote alone, as expertise matters.
In simple terms: Ruling by poll is irrational.
Key Takeaway
Seek informed governance.
Themes
politics
expertise
democracy
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- legislation
- public policy
- elections
- citizen assemblies
Key Concepts
philosophy
political theory
Questions to Reflect On
- How to balance expertise with public voice?
- When should expert panels guide policy?
A Different Perspective
Popular opinion can be misinformed or swayed.
![“I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests with ZERO-G [a charter-flight service in Arlington, Va., that uses modified Boeing 727s to simulate weightlessness], which went great.” quote by Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/aa1/richard-branson-256_adventure_i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-repl_903.jpg)
