Plato

Most fifth-century Greeks, like many twentieth-century Americans, supposed that natural differences between males and females of the human species entail a significant differentiation of their proper social roles. Although Plato granted that men and women are different in height, strength, and similar qualities, he noted that these differences are not universal; that is, for example, although it may be true that most men are taller than most women, there are certainly some women who are taller than many men. What is more, he denied that there is any systematic difference between men and women with respect to the abilities relevant to guardianship—the capacity to understand reality and make reasonable judgments about it. Thus, Plato maintained that prospective guardians, both male and female, should receive the same education and be assigned to the same vital functions within the society. In addition, Plato believed that the interests of the state are best preserved if children are raised and educated by the society as a whole, rather than by their biological parents. So he proposed a simple (if startlingly unfamiliar) scheme for the breeding, nurturing, and training of children in the guardian class. Note that the same children who are not permitted to watch and listen to "dangerous" art are encouraged to witness first-hand the violence of war. The presumed pleasures of family life, Plato held, are among the benefits that the higher classes of a society must be prepared to forego.