Huxley and Plato on The Perfect Society

Résumé du document

The characteristics of what comprise a perfectly just society have been long debated and discussed since the time of Plato, particularly in his Republic. Plato has had a profound influence on political and philosophical thinkers. One such thinker is Aldous Huxley, author of Brave New World. Huxley's Brave New World is the product of a meticulously planned and controlled society that seeks to provide happiness and productivity for its citizens. Huxley constructs this ideal society by genetically engineering, pharmaceutically anesthetizing, and conditioning people to accept their predetermined class within society. When Huxley's Brave New World is contrasted with Plato's recommendations for the best society, featured in his Republic, the effects of the two approaches are revealed. While there are similarities between Plato's Republic and Huxley's Brave New World with regard to Plato's tenets of a utopia, Huxley's Brave New World diverges from Plato in its conception of happiness.

Plato's tenets of a utopia include the following: perpetual peace, political authority reserved to those with a legitimate claim to exercise it, full satisfaction of basic human needs, communal sharing, and effortless civic virtue through education and eugenics (02/08/12, Dr. Grey). These features are exemplified in Huxley's Brave New World. Huxley creates a society where people are conditioned to accept the World State's motto of Community, Identity, and Stability (1). This conditioning has created a citizenry with an unwavering conviction for these values, which in turn fosters stability. As the Director of Hatcheries and Conditioning states, "Bokanovsky's Process is one of the major instruments of social stability!" (7).

Extraits

[...] A primary and most delicate example is the idea of cloning genes. This of course poses serious implications with regard to public policy, specifically within the legal system. For instance, if one were to commit a crime and the cause be related to a certain condition traceable to a specific gene, then some might view it as advantageous for society to eliminate the causal gene. While Huxley provides a foundation in which to entertain such ideas, I am not persuaded that our present-day society is ready to embrace the ideology of Brave New World. [...]

[...] This idea is supported with Henry Foster's sentiment, men in the bad old days used to renounce, retire, take to religion, spend their time reading, thinking—thinking!” (55). Finally, while civic virtue is an important part of society in Brave New World, it is only necessary for the more advanced classes. This is supported with Foster's remark that Epsilons have no need of human intelligence (15). Contrary to Plato, Huxley does not associate virtue with happiness. As Mond states, you can swallow two or three half-gramme tablets, and there you are. Anybody can virtuous now. [...]

[...] Moreover, it is often mentioned throughout the novel that no one class is valued more than the other. As Lenina recalls in one of the many hypnopaedic phrases, “Every one works for every one else. We can't do without any (74). In addition, the citizens accept the Controllers authority to govern. Not only have the Controllers been conditioned to be the best possible rulers, but also the people have been conditioned to accept this idea. Plato would think favorably of Huxley's Controllers in that they possess knowledge of the craft of how to rule as well as the discretion to distribute such knowledge. [...]

[...] Brave New World. New York: Harper Perennial Modern Classics Print. Reeve, C.D.C . Republic. Indianapolis: Hackett Pub. Co Print. [...]

[...] One such thinker is Aldous Huxley, author of Brave New World. Huxley's Brave New World is the product of a meticulously planned and controlled society that seeks to provide happiness and productivity for its citizens. Huxley constructs this ideal society by genetically engineering, pharmaceutically anesthetizing, and conditioning people to accept their predetermined class within society. When Huxley's Brave New World is contrasted with Plato's recommendations for the best society, featured in his Republic, the effects of the two approaches are revealed. [...]