Plato and the Soul by Ryan Sinclear

ryansinclear — 2024-10-22 20:21:18 UTC

Plato, a famous Greek Philosopher who is considered a foundational thinker.

ryansinclear — 2024-10-22 20:24:32 UTC

He was the student of Socrates who is considered the founder of Western philosophy.

ryansinclear — 2024-10-22 20:27:03 UTC

Plato founded the Academy, which was an important learning institution.

ryansinclear — 2024-10-22 20:32:42 UTC

One of his most famous philosophies was the pursuit of happiness.

ryansinclear — 2024-10-22 20:34:14 UTC

Socrates believed that happiness came from ethical matters, that doing good things would bring happiness.

ryansinclear — 2024-10-22 20:36:45 UTC

Plato built on this theory and came up with the idea that happiness came from the harmony between the three parts of the soul, reason, spirit, and appetite.

ryansinclear — 2024-10-22 20:53:32 UTC

logistikon (reason), is the rational part of the soul

ryansinclear — 2024-10-22 20:55:02 UTC

Thumetikon (spirit), which housed anger as well as other emotions.

ryansinclear — 2024-10-22 20:56:13 UTC

Epithumetikon (appetite), which housed the desires for physical pleasure.

ryansinclear — 2024-10-23 22:48:54 UTC

In his dialogue, Phaedo, Plato portrays a conversation that his teacher Socrates had before his forced suicide by poison.

ryansinclear — 2024-10-23 22:50:33 UTC

Plato believed that a soul was essential to being alive.

ryansinclear — 2024-10-23 22:52:48 UTC

Plato also believed that the soul was immortal.

ryansinclear — 2024-10-23 22:57:34 UTC

During the conversation between Socrates and Cebes in the dialogue Phaedo, Cebes asks, "And what do we call the principle which does not admit of death?" "The immortal, he said." "And does the soul admit of death?" "No." "Then the soul is immortal?" "Yes, he said."

ryansinclear — 2024-10-23 23:06:11 UTC

Gaining knowledge was also an important aspect of helping fulfill Plato's idea of a soul.

ryansinclear — 2024-10-23 23:10:53 UTC

In the dialogue Allegory of the Cave, written by Plato, he tells a fictional story of group of people are shackled in a cave, forced only to learn about shadows made from the fire behind them. Some of them decide to break out of the cave and learn about the world while others stayed in the cave. This story showed a contrast between perceived appearance and reality.

ryansinclear — 2024-10-24 00:01:09 UTC

"Do you think the one who had gotten out of the cave would still envy those within the cave and would want to compete with them who are esteemed and who have power? Or would not he or she much rather wish for the condition that Homer speaks of, namely "to live on the land [above ground] as the paid menial of another destitute peasant"? Wouldn't he or she prefer to put up with absolutely anything else rather than associate with those opinions that hold in the cave and be that kind of human being?"

ryansinclear — 2024-10-24 00:03:32 UTC

"along with those who had remained shackled there, the freed person had to engage in the business of asserting and maintaining opinions about the shadows -- while his eyes are still weak and before they have readjusted, an adjustment that would require quite a bit of time -- would he not then be exposed to ridicule down there?"

ryansinclear — 2024-10-24 00:45:05 UTC

"And, further, is not one part of us body, and the rest of us soul?" "To be sure." "And to which class may we say that the body is more alike and akin?" "Clearly to the seen: no one can doubt that." Socrates describes the body as a tool for the soul to be able to be seen.

ryansinclear — 2024-10-24 00:47:12 UTC

"When the soul and the body are united, then nature orders the soul to rule and govern, and the body to obey and serve."

ryansinclear — 2024-10-24 00:51:57 UTC

"That soul, I say, herself invisible, departs to the invisible worldto the divine and immortal and rational"

ryansinclear — 2024-10-24 00:55:15 UTC

"Tell me, then, what is that the inherence of which will render the body alive? to which Socrates replied, "The soul,"