Raising a child isn’t easy, and you’ve probably encountered a plethora of perspectives on how to do so the “right” way. Should we let kids get bored again? Is gentle parenting the best parenting style? What feeling should parents actually stop trying to “fix” in their child? At what point is supporting a child actually overpraising them—and when and why is that harmful?
Arguably, raising a girl comes with even more concerns and questions, such as safety and equality. That’s perhaps more of a hot-button topic in today’s polarized political climate, too. You might wonder who has the “best” advice or who you should listen to.
Surprisingly, the philosopher Plato shared some very interesting insights about the subject way back in his time—in “BCE,” or “before the common era.” Despite how long ago he lived, his views were pretty modern—at least considering the norms of the day.
Ahead, a psychologist weighs in on Plato’s beliefs and ties them into parenting lessons. What was the reasoning behind his thoughts, and what can we make of them in modern times? What are key takeaways for parents and educators? We’ll answer these questions and illustrate how they do (and don’t) apply to child psychology and raising girls well.
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What Was Plato’s View on Raising Girls?
Plato’s view on raising girls was actually quite modern. In his book The Republic, Plato discussed how girls should receive the same nurture and education as boys. They should be taught music, gymnastics and the art of war, especially if they’re expected to be in similar “arenas” as men. He found that, despite their differences, males and females shared qualities and similarities.
For context, this was a radical departure from ancient Athenian norms and beliefs. For example, Aristotle—another Greek philosopher from that era—thought women were weaker leaders, lacking in authority and generally inferior. Plato, on the other hand, emphasized that women and men have the same nature and need the same preparation, especially if they’re asked to do the same tasks.
“Plato did challenge a common assumption at the time that girls and boys should be educated differently based on biological sex, saying that there was no reason to deny someone education or opportunity just on that basis if they were capable,” says Dr. Amy Marschall, PsyD, a licensed psychologist and consultant with Mentavi Health who works primarily with children and adolescents (and who majored in philosophy!).
She finds merit in his sentiment.
“Children’s understanding of themselves and their abilities comes in part from feedback from adults, so limiting opportunities or changing boundaries based on assigned gender can teach kids that certain things are just not available to them,” she explains.
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Equal Education in ‘The Republic’: Physical, Intellectual and Military Training
While Plato’s perspective on education included the more obvious subjects—like math—it also encompassed more.
For students in early and primary education, Plato encouraged physical training, such as gymnastics, alongside music. When children reached the age of 10 (through the age of 18, which is the phase of primary education), he recommended arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and harmonics. Last but not least, adult men and women were to learn dialectics and philosophy.
Additionally, Plato believed women—not just men—should be able to be “Guardian” leaders, or people who govern the state.
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Nature vs. Nurture: Why Plato Believed Girls Could Be Guardians
Plato’s beliefs stemmed from his philosophical reasoning. In The Republic, he argued that gender differences are physical, not mental or spiritual. In his eyes, men and women have equal capacity for virtue, governance and wisdom (if given the same upbringing, which is the argument here about education). He felt that not allowing women to be Guardians and get an education would be a waste.
How Radical Was Plato? Comparing Ancient Athenian Norms vs. Aristotle
As mentioned, Plato was pretty radical—at least for his time and considering ancient Athenian norms. In those days, women generally couldn’t own land or inherit. Their sole purpose was to raise children. Girls were educated but only for child-rearing. Aristotle believed that women weren’t intellectually capable of making important decisions.
While today’s America still has plenty of room to grow when it comes to women and equality, those ancient beliefs aren’t as widely held. In fact, Plato wouldn’t be considered as radical in 2026.
“For his time, he had ideas that were considered unconventional, especially with his thoughts on gender, education and opportunities,” Dr. Marschall states. “His writing challenged other people’s perceptions about inherent biological differences in ability, which was not mainstream at the time.”
The Nuance: Was Plato Truly a ‘Modern Feminist’?
Can we consider Plato a feminist, then and/or now? The answer isn’t clear-cut.
“He challenged gender restrictions, but his writing isn’t exactly on any required feminist reading lists,” Dr. Marschall says. “Basically, he wanted society to benefit from everyone, not just those who happened to be men.”
One could also argue he was the opposite of a feminist in some ways, particularly if you look at his beliefs through a disability-justice, intersectional-feminist lens. In that sense, Dr. Marschall says, he’s “actually anti-feminist because the core of his argument was that girls have equal worth to boys because they can be productive and valuable to society rather than because human beings inherently have worth.”
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Key Takeaways for Modern Parents and Educators
As Plato (and many since him) have suggested, women and girls have capabilities and strengths that should be utilized, and they deserve proper education. Today, that might look like parents and educators reconsidering their automatic response when a girl says she wants to grow up to be a scientist or enter the army, for example.
“I think the biggest takeaway is the need for intentionality when we interact with children and place expectations on them, and [to] be sure to challenge our biases and how we interact with children due to their assigned gender,” Dr. Marschall concludes.
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Sources:
Dr. Amy Marschall, PsyD, is a licensed psychologist and consultant with Mentavi Health who works primarily with children and adolescents. From Plato’s The Republic, University of Minnesota Plato and Aristotle on Women: Selected Quotes, ThoughtCo Plato’s Theory of Education: Shaping the Ideal State, PolSci.Institute Women in Ancient Greece, World History FoundationHence then, the article about philosopher plato had a surprisingly modern view of raising girls psychologist says was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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