Philosophy is the fundamental way of abstracts mind, reasoning the knowledge and wisdom of every people (Kremer, 2000). It was first introduced by Plato the student of Socrates in many different forms. Plato wrote many dialogues one of them is Clietophon. Clietophon is the shortest dialogue in Platonic corpus (Grube, 1931). However, this paper will discuss more on Clietophon disapproval with Socrates and how it relates to Melanesians settings.
Clietophon was a son of Aristonymus a former leader of oligarchic (Grube, 1931). Clietophon follower of Socrates was not agree with the teachings of Socrates and started to seek advice from Thrasymachus. Clietophon disapproves that every mankind should take care of their virtues and the moral principles of their lives (Grube, 1931). But Socrates ideology was not match with citizen’s point of view. His followers could not manage to give correct answer to the question about virtues. Instead they would define that virtues are all about advantage and necessary. It is all about helping other people who seek help and destroy other people who are in danger. According to Kremer (2000) explains that Socrates expand his knowledge and stated that virtues people could help the people who are in a very bad situation. Therefore, Clietophon disagree with Socrates and started studies Thrasymachus dogma.
However, Melanesia is a region in the Pacific island that is diverse in cultural heritage (Wardlow, 2007). Especially in Papua New Guinea (PNG), bride price is the common problem against the law. The constitution of the country wants both bride and a groom to have a wedding in the church, but most of the people still practice traditional marriage. This could lead to a family problem Wardlow (2007), because man spends lot of things to take a woman. They would control the rights of a women. In the modern way this is against the virtues of the west minister system. Government should enforce and strengthen the laws to cease culture. In some ways culture should be preserve but as technology increases people should abide by it. Why not PNG move with other developed countries? Rather than just sing the praise of the pilot’s without being a pilot. Therefore, PNG should cease traditional marriage and follow the direction of the western world.
The two articles are paramount to the best way of the societies. Clietophon was argued with Socrates because his teaching was not on a virtues and moral way for the people to follow. He made an unequal decision on people’s behavior. Even though his followers could not make justice judgement. This is why Clietophon was protest about his lectures. However, on the other hand PNG should stop traditional marriage because it gives headache for the parents and other relatives to seek for wealth like; pig, money and foods (Wardlow, 2006). Also man would bite or treat a woman has his private property. For that reason, both ideas should be altered by switching to Thrasymachus teachings and government of PNG should empower the constitutional rights.
To conclude, the only way for a nation to live in harmony and happy life is to forget the past and look beyond the mountains. If the culture is still practice or lecture is still taught, people would not see the bright side of their self-image. There would be more curious in the virtues and the moral. People would not interpret the moral value of law. Giving more burdens to the societies and men would see a woman as an inferior. More obstacles would encounter in the families. Therefore, it is better to stop tradition and adopt the western style.
References
- Grube, G.M.A. (1931). Classical Philology. America: University of Chicago Press.
- Kremer, M. (2000). The review of politics. England: Cambridge University.
- Wardlow, H. (2007). Sexuality in rural New Guinea society. Berkeley: University of California Press.
