Plato’s infamous Ship of State thought experiment

Michael Vazquez |

TED-Ed

• August 2026

Imagine a ship struggling in an endless storm. Its captain, though strong and commanding, is a terrible navigator. Neither he nor his crew have been trained to sail, yet they tirelessly vie for control through bribery, flattery, and mutiny, and ignore those with real navigation knowledge. This dysfunctional vessel is Plato's Ship of State. Michael Vazquez explores the infamous thought experiment. [Directed by Luis Torres, Mr. Flama, narrated by Jack Cutmore-Scott, music by André Aires, AIM Creative Studios].