Who are the Philosopher-Kings?

Plato’s notion of the Philosopher-King, guardian of the utopian city of Kallipolis, is a great metaphor for understanding the education of the soul, not a recipe for tyranny.

by

Professor of Political Science, Yale University

April 8, 2011

Get the Big Think newsletter on Substack

Plato’s notion of the Philosopher-King, guardian of the utopian city of Kallipolis, is a great metaphor for understanding the education of the soul, not a recipe for tyranny.

Professor of Political Science, Yale University

Full Profile

Monthly Issue April 2026

The Energy Transition

In this monthly issue, we examine how our understanding of energy — and how we source and use it — is evolving.

1 video 11 articles

Two hands surround a glowing, illustrated sun with a human face, against a green background with radiating lines.

Related Content

History & Society

The arc of human history is toward cooperation, not division

Globalization did not fail — it improved the lives of billions of people. The next phase of human development could push us to a new level of global abundance.

by Peter Leyden

Earth rises above the horizon of the Moon, with the lunar surface in the foreground and space in the background.

Business

AI could trigger the biggest productivity boom ever

Higher productivity drives increases in wealth, wages, and living standards. AI could be just what we need to solve many of today’s problems — if we manage the gains wisely.

by Peter Leyden