After reading Plato’s Republic I was wondering about something (because of Plato’s aesthetic education) and I would really appreciate some help. My question is:
How would Plato (if his ideal state became reality) probably try to guarantee that the needed (practical and theoretical) knowledge is present (even though everyone can decide for themselves what they want to believe and if they want education) when making (political; later when they become guardians) decisions?
Could this question also partly be the reason why Plato wanted people to specialize in the talents and abilities that were given to them by nature? That way, the person who has to deal with a decision is often also the person who’s most knowledgeable about the topic.
I wonder how (and to what extent) you can guarantee something (quality) when some elements of the process are free/optional (this seems similar to the reason why many teachers don’t think Wikipedia is a legitimate source of information). Could a collaboration between someone who is knowledgeable and someone with influence be a part of the solution Plato would provide (and how would he make that work)? I also wonder about this because managers have to make decisions during meetings and I wonder how they can make sure that the right people are exploring the right topics and views and that the people who have the right information also get the attention they deserve (instead of other people who just use rhetoric to persuade).
I know some of the above seems only vaguely related, but these are my thoughts and I hope they will make clear what kind of answer I’m hoping for. Thank you for reading my question.