Al-Farabi's Virtuous City

Al-Farabi thinks it is rather optimistic to suppose that anyone in a city will really have complete knowledge of all the truths. In the absence of podcasts though, the citizens of the Virtuous City are going to need some other source of help. As in Plato, he will be not just a king, but also a philosopher. His intellect will be completely realized by receiving an emanation from the separate active intellect. Since the ideal ruler knows everything anyone might need to know, he can help his subjects to form virtuous opinions. And, lest we forget, he will also need to help them perform virtuous actions.