Plato

Plato of AthensPlato of Athens

Truth

Goodness

Beauty

429-347 B.C., Athens

• Plato was Socrates’ disciple

• Founded the Academy in Athens, that lasted until the 6th c. A. D.

• Was Aristotle’s teacher

• Plato’s most important writings are called Dialogues

• Socrates is the protagonist in most Dialogues

• How much content in any given Dialogue is Socrate’s point of view or how much is Plato’s?

Plato and his disciple Aristotle, from The School of Athens by Raphael Sanzio, painted in 1510.

Myth and DialogueMyth and Dialogue

In his Dialogues, Plato used myths to argue his points of view

Platonic MythsTOPIC MYTH DIALOGUE SUBJECT

Human condition Prometeo

The Androgyne

Eros’ birth

Protagoras, 320 -322d

Symposium, 189d-193 a

Symposium, 203a-204a

Distribution of talents

Love

Love

Liberation and spiritual

ascension

The reminiscence

The Cave

The mystery of love

Meno, 81a - e

Phaedro, 246a - 249a

Republic, VII, 514d - 517a

Symposium, 210a - 212c

Knowledge as memory

The ascension to the truth

The ascension to the beautiful

The destiny of the souls The final sentence

Punishments distribution

Er, the Armenian

Gorgias, 523a - 524a

Phaedo, 113d -114c

Republic, X 617d-621b

The judgement of the souls

Punishments and rewards

The choosing of a destiny

Plato’s Intellectual BackgroundPlato’s Intellectual Background

• Socrates’ ethical teachings• “Know thyself”

• Wisdom is virtue (areté)• If one knows what the good is, one will always

do it• Virtue leads to the happy life

• Intellectualistic approach to ethics• Since everyone wants to be happy above

everything else, no one who knows what the good is will not chose to do it.

• It is better to suffer injustice than to do it.

Socrates of Athens, 469-399 B.C.

Socrates’ DeathSocrates’ Death

• In his Apology, Plato provided a thorough account of Socrates’ trial and death

• Socrates was charged with• Impiety: introducing new gods in Athens• Corrupting the youth• Sophist: making the weakest argument stronger

• Other Socratic doctrines• An unexamined (critically) life is not worth living• To acknowledge one’s own ignorance is to begin to be wise

‘The Death of Socrates’ by Jacques Louis David, 1787

Plato’s Intellectual BackgroundPlato’s Intellectual Background

• Sophists (men of wisdom)• Gorgias of Leontini Protagoras• Prodicus of Ceos Democritus• Hipias of Elis Lysias• Antiphon• Thrasymachus of Chalcedon• Critias of Athens• Alcidamas of Elaeae

• Itinerant professors of higher education• Taught rhetoric and composition• Moral relativists• Claimed that their science of language could lead to

the knowledge of truth and virtue

Plato’s Idealism Plato’s Idealism

• The doctrine of a permanent realm of eternal Forms that shape our mutable material world.

Plato’s Theory of Forms (Ideas)Plato’s Theory of Forms (Ideas)

• The Forms actually exist and are the reality (Being) of which the observed and material world (Becoming) is simply a shadowy copy.

Plato’s Metaphysical DualismPlato’s Metaphysical Dualism

• Plato divided the universe into two different realms

• 1. The intelligible world of Ideas or Forms (Being)

• 2. The perceptual world we see around us (Becoming)

Platonic Ideas or FormsPlatonic Ideas or Forms

• The perceptual world, and all things in it, are imperfect copies of the intelligible Forms or Ideas that exist in an ideal (spiritual) world.

• The Forms or Ideas are unchangeable and perfect, and are only known by the use of the intellect (not sense-perception or imagination).

The Highest Form

The Form of the Good (often interpreted as Plato's God), is the ultimate object of knowledge and it sheds light on all other forms.

Plato compares The Form of the Good to the sun, which sheds its light on things in the perceptual world and makes them visible.

Modes of Being Modes of Knowing (metaphysics) (epistemology)

Higher Forms

Mathematical Forms

Understanding

Reason

Sen

sib

le W

orl

d

I

nte

llig

ible

wo

rld

sensible things

images of things

(paintings, sculpture)

perception

imagination

Op

inio

n

Tru

e K

no

wle

dg

e

Plato’s Analogy of the Dividing Line

Sensible World World of the Forms

appearance  (seems real) reality (is real)

immanent (within space and time) transcendent (beyond space and time)

becoming (ever changing) being (eternal and unchanging)

particular and imperfect absolute and perfect

many instances (copies; imitation) one essence (archetype)

perceived by senses known by intellect/reason

subjective  (dependent upon my perception) objective (exists independently of my mind)

a table, a just action, a beautiful sunrise, a circle, Britney Spears

Table, Justice, Beauty, Circle, Woman

Allegory of the Cave

In the perceptual world, the objects we see around us bear only a dim resemblance to the ultimately real forms of Plato's intelligible world.

It is as if we are seeing shadows of cut-out shapes on the walls of a cave—mere representations of the reality outside the cave, illuminated by the sun.

Plato’s LegacyPlato’s LegacyPlato’s metaphysics, particularly the dualism between the intelligible and the perceptual influenced later Neoplatonic thinkers such as Plotinus and religious theologians such as Saint Paul and Saint Augustine.

Jewish-Christian-Islamic doctrine agrees with Plato’s metaphysics: Spirit is absolutely distinct and infinitely superior to the physical world of “flesh.”

Plato’s The RepublicDialogue which outlines the ideal society based

on justice and reason

The Ideal state is authoritarian and aristocratic

Divided into three classes: artisans (labor and produce)

soldiers (physical power) philosopher-kings (wisdom)

Women are educated with men

Allegory of the cave (Book 7)Theory of perfect state (Book 10)

1763 Plato Republic This edition was the first to be published in English, and was translated by Harry Spens, DD. (1713-87).

GlossaryGlossary

• Forms (or Ideas): The world of Forms is the real world of perfect entities: the world of appearance which most of us occupy most of the time consists of imperfect copies of the Forms.

• Mimesis: imitation. Plato uses this word to describe what the takes to be the essence of artistic endeavour: mirroring nature.

• Oligarchy: a state ruled by a wealthy elite.

GlossaryGlossary

• Philosopher-King: the Rulers in Plato’s ideal society. Philosophers were to be given this role because of their ability to perceive the Forms.

• Utopian: presenting a vision of an ideal society.

• Dikaiosune: usually translated as ‘justice’, this has the sense of doing what is morally right.

• Democracy: a state ruled by the people.

GlossaryGlossary

• Auxiliaries: Guardians who help the Rulers and provide defense from outside threats.

• Guardians: the class of citizens who protect and rule the state. They consist of Rulers and Auxiliaries.

• Totalitarian state: a state in which everything is controlled and there is little or no scope for individual freedom.

• Tyranny: a state ruled by a powerful leader.