Have you ever given a thought to what Plato would have said about the idea of modern society being run by algorithms and not by philosophers? The world has come to the cusp of a technological evolution that has overstepped its bounds by redefining simpler concepts like justice, freedom, governance, and existence, concepts that were otherwise understood through the prism of philosophy. Plato, one of the greatest Western philosophers, put forward the concept of a modern society as a just society governed by the moral and ethical wisdom of a philosopher king. Today, the world is under the control of binary codes, algorithms, the race for profit and loss without a reflection of human ethics, and non-human or artificial wisdom. This article will revisit Plato’s theory of justice and how the modern digital world needs a just society with the same urgency. Let’s start with understanding Plato’s philosophy.
Plato’s Theory of Justice
Justice, in Plato’s world, is a balanced system in the world where every part of that system works in unity and harmony to bring out the ideal just society. In Plato’s theory of justice, a society is classified into three parts. Plato’s classification of society as spirit (the auxiliaries), reason (the rulers), and appetite (the producers) best explains his tripartite model of the soul of a just society. Accordingly, a just society is the child of a system where reason governs, the spirit supports, and the appetite is to obey. This was a just society for Plato.
Similarly, Plato didn’t see a just society as running on its own or by the choice of people. He was against the idea of populism and advocated for the ideal rulers—philosopher kings. To him, the one who is wise, morally correct, and decisive is a philosopher king, the one who is in power not because of popularity but because of his ideal traits. So, a just society is ruled by a philosopher king rather than by the power of populism.
A World Without Philosopher Kings
This brings you to 2025, where the reality of the world hits differently. The world today is controlled by artificial intelligence as decision-makers, data mining, security systems, education, industries, and even health diagnostics. Even the economy is governed using AI principles. Shoshana Zuboff has coined the term surveillance capitalism for this, explaining a financial system based on the use of personal data.
For instance, technological giants like Google, Facebook, Amazon, and X, etc., use the behavioral data of the users to determine the algorithms and profit from their users even without their consent. Surveillance capitalism has posed a serious threat to the privacy of users; it has concentrated power and has become a threat to democracy by providing modes for echo chambers, misinformation, cyber warfare, and manipulation of data.
At the governance level, China’s Social Credit System is an example of gratia wherein digital surveillance provides access to public services. Similarly, in the West, facial recognition for security purposes and predictive tools for policing are being widely used by agencies. These systems allow black boxes to be the decision-makers, lacking moral conduct, thus negating the idea of morality under Plato’s just society. For Plato, moral values are the soul of a just society, while the digital age lacks the same.
In the digital age, if the tripartite model of Plato is applied, a huge disharmony can be seen. The appetite dominates in the modern era in the form of profits and convenience-driven technologies that do not serve the purpose for which they were created in the first place. Instead of optimization, these technologies are seemingly more controlling in nature. The reason, one that comes from Plato’s philosophy, is the absence of checks.
Interestingly, Plato said that democracy becomes tyranny if unchecked or if ruled out of desires and wishes rather than morality. The same can be applied to the digital age, which echoes the fear of Plato about appetite dominance. The decisions made through AI are more driven by efficiency, desires, and engagement rather than equity, wisdom, and truth. The absence of philosopher kings in Plato’s age, translated as philosopher-coders in our age, has been a threat to the moral wisdom of our governance systems. And this needs a serious check.
Additionally, in his work, “The Republic”, Plato discussed the term noble lie as being a misconception or myth that contributed to social cohesion and harmony. In today’s world, that noble lie is that the existing or developing algorithms are non-controversial, neutral, safe, and objective. The opposite is the truth. This myth has completely faded away the weaknesses of the system and how it incorporates the complexities of the technology. Various instances have been reported where racial, gender, and social biases have been seen in facial recognition or problem-solving AI tools.
Plato would have strongly negated it to be a noble lie. He would rather label it as a dangerous illusion—dangerous for society, morality, and a just system. The unapologetic acceptance of AI in every domain has harmed the idea of rational governance in society.
Conclusion
To rebuild a just society and rational governance, the philosopher-coders need to be produced. Such people are not only skilled in machine learning skills but also have a greater insight into morals, ethics, and human factors of the existing world. Technology must be used as an aid to humans, not a replacement for humans. Digital governance should be equipped with rationality, morality, and a reflection of civic responsibility. It should align with the rules of transparency, security, and accountability.
To cap it all, Plato’s concepts of morality, ethics, and a just governance system remain relevant today. In the era where everything is coded, it is important to ask who makes the code and how it serves them. Does it harm the morality? Does it discourage ethical principles? Can it be accepted under rational principles?
To preserve the digital age and humanity, society should be governed by reason and not by appetite. To ensure it, the age needs philosopher-soldiers, not on borders, but in computer labs, IT centers, civic rooms, and policing processes. Only then could the digital society ever be called a just society, and for that matter, Plato, if ever reborn in the digital age, would be proud of the philosopher-guardians.
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The views and opinions expressed in this article/paper are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Paradigm Shift.
She is a clinical psychologist and author with over six years of experience in freelance writing, specializing in mental health, social issues, and global affairs. She co-authored L’Art de Vivre, a book on positive psychology, and contributed to flood relief efforts in 2022. She also qualified the CSS Special Competitive Examination in 2023. Through her work, she is committed to promoting resilience, raising public awareness, and fostering informed discourse by combining psychological insight with socio-political analysis.