brennan - whitehead on plato´s cosmology

7/24/2019 brennan - Whitehead on platos cosmology

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Journal of the History of Philosophy, Volume 9, Number 1, January

1971, pp. 67-78 (Article)

DOI: 10.1353/hph.2008.1536

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N O T E S A N D D I S C U S S IO N S 67

V i r o N o b i l i s s i m o a c c e l e b e r r i m o D . D . R e n a t o d e s C a r t e s

S a l u t e m a D o m i n o

N o b i l i s s i m e V i r ,

L i t t e r a e t u a e a d S e n a t u m A c a d e m i a e n o s t r a e e x a r a t a e X I I I . C a l . M a r t . E g m o n -

d a e , l e c t a e s u n t i n C u r i a V I I . C a l . A p r i l . t m a c u r e A p o g r a p h o l i t e r a r u m t u m

t u a r u m a d I l l u s t r i s s i m u m D o m i n u m l e g a t u m , t u r n i p s i u s e x c e U e n t i s s i m i D . l e g a t i

a d i l l u s t r e s h u j u s P r o v i n c i a e o r d i n e s .

Re b u s a u t e m o m n i b u s , s e s s i o n i b u s a l i q u o t b e n e e x p e n s i s s e n t e n t i a e s t l a t a ,

c u j u s u t e t t e s t i m o n i i i n e a m e m o r a t i g e m i n i a p o g r a p h o h i s i n c l u s u m v i d e s ,

a c q u i e s c e s u t i s p e r a m u s , e t a m p l i s s i m i s e n a t u s A c a d e m i c i c u r a r e a c f i d e m u l t r o

a g n o sc e s . Q u o d s u p e r e s t D e u m O p t . M a x . s u p p li c es r o g a m u s , u t l a b o r i b u s e t

s t u d i i s n o s t r i s u t r i m q u e c l e m e n t e r b e n e d i c a t .

G r o e n i n g a e X V I . C al . M a y 1 6 4 5 . N o b i l . D .

A d d i c t i s s i m u s

M a t t h i a s P a s o r P h i l o s o p h i a e p r o f e s s o r e t

p . t . Academih a sec re t i s .

I u s s u s e n a t u s

N o u s n e c r o y o n s p a s tr o p n o u s h a s a r d e r e n p r 6 s u m a n t q u e l a l e tt r e la t in e d e

D e s c a r t e s ~t M a t t h i a s P a s o r , d u 2 6 m a i 1 64 5 , m e n t i o r m 6 e p a r J . O r c i b a l e t

G . M i l h a u d , e s t l a r6 p o n s e ~ l a l e tt r e o f f ic i el le c i - d e ss u s , q u i a c c o m p a g n a i t l e s

A c t a d u S 6 n a t d e l ' u n i v e r s it 6 d e G r o n i n g u e e t 6 t a it s i g n 6 e d e s o n s e c r d t a i r e P a s o r .

N o t o n s q u e c e m ~ m e 2 6 m a i 1 64 5, n o u s d i t A . B a i ll e t, D e s c a r t e s r & r i v i t a u

s i e u r T o b i e d ' A n d r 6 p o u r l e r e m e r c i e r e n s o n p a r t i c u l i e r d e s e s b o n s o f fi ce s e t p o u r

l e p r i e r d e p r e s e n t e r en s o n n o m s e s t r 6 s - h u m b l e s a c t i o n s d e g r a c e s a u x j u g e s . 10

P A U L D m O N

V i l l i e r s - s u r - M o r i n F r a n c e

W H I T E H E A D O N P L A T O ' S C O S M O L O G Y

I n th e F a l l o f 1 9 34 P r o f e s s o r A l f r e d N o r t h W h i t e h e a d o f f e r e d a c o u rs e a t H a r v a r d

c a l l e d

C o s m o l o g i e s A n c i e n t a n d M o d e r n

a t i t l e s u g g e s t e d i n t h e s e c o n d p a r a g r a p h

o f P a r t I I o f h is b o o k , A d v e n t u r e s o [ Id e a s. W h e n h e b e g a n t h e s e l e c t u r e s W h i t e -

h e a d w a s 73 y e a r s o l d . H e h a d b e e n r a t h e r s e r i o u s l y i ll th e p r e v i o u s S p r i n g a n d

d i d n o t c o m e t o c la s s u n t i l th e t h i r d w e e k o f t h e t e r m , t h e o p e n i n g l e c t u r e s o f t h e

c o u r s e h a v i n g b e e n g i v e n b y h i s a s s i s ta n t , D r . K a i s e r . W h e n h e f i n al l y a p p e a r e d i n

t h e l e c t u r e r o o m i n E m e r s o n H a l l , W h i t e h e a d s e e m e d fr a i l, e v e n a li tt le o l d e r t h a n

h i s y e a r s. H i s h i g h c o l l a r o f c l e r ic a l s t y le ( t h a t y e a r h e f a v o r e d a c r a v a t o f r i c h

b l u e ) a n d h i s g e n t le w a y o f s p e a k i n g c o n v e y e d t h e a i r o f a b e n e v o l e n t v i c a r . D e s p i t e

10 A. Baillet, La Vie de Monsieur Descartes Paris 1691, t . II , p. 256.


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68 HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY

his recent illness and delayed start, Whitehead taught the course with confidence

and good humor; so far as I recall, he did not miss a class after taking over the

desk where William James and Santayana had sat as his predecessors. There were

about 40 Or 50 Harvard men in Philosophy 12b, most of them graduate students.

On Saturday mornings, three or four Radcliffe girls might come to visit. White-

head disapproved of this practice, not, I suppose, for anti-feminist reasons, but

because the girls were not duly registered members of the course.

I took down Whitehead's lectures verbatim in a kind of amateur speed-writing

I had developed in my first year of graduate study. It was not unsuited to the old

metaphysician's leisurely pace. His classroom delivery was quite unlike that of

those formal lectures from which he constructed his well-known philosophical

books. Whitehead dispensed his wisdom to us in the form of intelligent and

amiable chats. He talked slowly, pausing occasionally to gaze out the window.

A diagram on the board would take up a little time---("I do not understand why

they should devise chalk the lecturer cannot see "). There were moments too for

stories like that of the tipsy Cambridge don trying to unlock his door with a

matchbox, muttering "Damn the nature of things " To his summaries of particular

philosophical doctrines, Whitehead would append "That's Epicurus " or "That's

Hume " or, in the case of Russell, "That' s Bertie " I have omitted from my

transcription of his commentary on Plato a number of passionate little interjections

like "Readthe

Symposium "

or "For God's sake, be clear-headedI'"

Philosophical writings recommended by Whitehead as relevant to his course

included Plato's Timaeus, especially 28-63, and A. E. Taylor's commentary on

that work; Lucretius's

De Rerum Natura,

and Cyril Bailey's

Greek Atomists and

Epicurus.

Whitehead also recommended Santayana's

Some Turns o] Thought in

Modern Philosophy

(particularly the essay on Locke) and Lawrence Henderson's

Order oJ Nature.

Of his own books, Whitehead suggested that we read

Science

and the Modern WorM, first turning to chapter V ("The Romantic Reaction");

Process and Reality,

especially part II, chapter 2, section 3, Part III and Part V;

Adventures oj Ideas,

particularly chapters VIII and XI. Very much on White-

bead's mind were the two lectures he had recently given at the University of

Chicago under the title "Nature and Life," now included in the book

Modes oJ

Thought.

Late in the course, Whitehead passed from his reflections on Plato, Epicurus,

Descartes, and Hume, to his own cosmological speculations. "I am now at the

beginning of the construction of a metaphysics," he said in his twenty-second lec-

ture. "There won't be much time to do it now at the end." But he had time enough

to present something of his "Sociology of Nature," illustrating by chalk diagrams

such typical Whiteheadian entities as "occasions of experience." With squiggles

to indicate prehensive tentacles incorporating into unities of experience all data

taken as relevant, these atomic diagrams looked like sketches for a Monadology of

the Future; and indeed Whitehead told us that he wanted "to produce a metaphysics


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N O T E S A N D D I S C U S SI O N S 6 9

w h i c h h a s s o m e o f t h e c h a r a ct e r is t ic s o f E p i c u r u s a n d s o m e o f L e i b n i z . A t t h is

p o i n t h i s i d i o m w a s c l o s e t o t h a t o f h i s N a t u r e a n d L i f e l e c tu r e s , p a r t i c u l a r ly

t h e s ec c m d w h e r e m i n d g e ts s o t h o r o u g h l y m i x e d w i t h b o d y , f e e li n g w i t h f a c t.

W h i t e h e a d c l o s e d h i s c o u r s e b y r e a d i n g f r o m Process and Reality s o m e p a s s a g e s

o n G o d t h a t b r o u g h t u s b a c k t o t h e A r t i f i c e r o f th e Timaeus w h o p e r s u a d e s , b u t

c a n n o t c o m p e l .

T h e d i s c o u rs e o n P l a t o n i c c o s m o l o g y b e l o w is t a k e n f r o m t h e f i rs t fi v e l e c tu r e s

W h i t e h e a d g a v e i n P h i l o s o p h y 1 2b . H e w a s f a s c i n a t e d b y P l a t o ' s l a t e r d i a lo g u e s

a n d h e l d u p t o u s t h e i d e a l o f a n e w Timaeus, a c o s m o l o g i c a l a d v e n t u r e w h i c h

w o u l d u n i t e m a t h e m a t i c s a n d t h e G o o d . H e w a n t e d t o a c h i e v e i n h i s o w n p h i l o s -

o p h y s o m e t h i n g h e t h o u g h t P la t o h a d a c c o m p l i s h e d in h i s - - t o s e p a ra t e o u t o f t h e

w e l t e r o f e x i s te n c e a d e fi n i te n u m b e r o f u l t i m a t e c o s m o l o g i c a l f a c t o r s . O f h i s

l a r g e b o o k s , W h i t e h e a d w a s c l o s e s t t h a t y e a r t o t h e Adventures of Ideas of 1933 ,

i n P a r t 11 o f w h i c h ( C o s m o l o g i c a l ) , h e d is c u ss e s P l a t o ' s s e v e n m a i n n o t i o n s - -

t h e F o r m s , t h e p h y s i c a l e le m e n t s , t h e S o u l , E r o s , h a r m o n y , m a t h e m a t i c a l r e l a ti o n s ,

a n d t h e R e c e p t a c l e . I t h a r d l y n e e d s p o i n t i n g o u t t h a t t h e P l a t o n i c f a c t o r s W h i t e -

h e a d d e a l s w i t h i n t h e s e l e c t u r e s a r e a l l ( w i t h t h e e x c e p t i o n o f E r o s , w h o s e

c l a s s i c a l l o c u s i s t h e Symposium f o u n d i n t h e f a b l e o f t h e w o r l d ' s c r e a t i o n

o f f e re d t o T i m a e u s b y S o c r a te s . G o d ( o r h i s h e l p e r , th e D e m i u r g e ) c o n s t r u c ts t h e

u n i v e r s e i n a f a s h i o n r e m o t e l y a n a l o g o u s t o t h e t e c h n i q u e o f a n a r t i s t , i n s p i r e d

a n d b e n e v o l e n t , g a z i n g a t a fa i r m o d e l ( t h e F o r m s ) a n d w o r k i n g o u t o f a m y s t e r -

i o u s m a t r i x ( t h e R e c e p t a c l e ) w h i c h i s a t o n c e m a t t e r , s p a c e , a n d m o t i o n . W h i t e -

h e a d h a s s a i d t h a t a l l p h i l o s o p h y a f t e r P l a t o c o n s i s t e d o f f o o t n o t e s t o h i m . C e r -

t a i n l y t h e G o d o f h is o w n m e t a p h y s i c a l w r i t in g s i s r a t h e r l ik e t h e P l a t o n i c

D e m i u r g e ; h is E t e r n a l O b j e c t s , d e f ic i e n t t h o u g h t h e y m a y b e i n a c t u a l i t y a r e

P l a t o ' s F o r m s s o m e w h a t A r i st o t e li a n i z ed . T h e W h i t e h e a d i a n p r i n c i p le o f I n t e r -

c o n n e c t e d n e s s h as s o m e l in k t o t h e P l a t o n i c R e c e p t a c l e , a l t h o u g h i t is p e r h a p s

m o r e p r o x i m a t e l y d e r iv e d f r o m t h e 1 9 t h c e n t u r y A b s o l u t e I d e a l i s m t h a t f i l te r e d

i n t o W h i t e h e a d ' s m e t a p h y s i c s v i a B r a d l e y . P l a t o ' s E r o s , t h e c u r r e n t i n t h e u n i v e r s e

t h a t o s c i l l a t e s b e t w e e n t h e d i v i n e a n d t h e m o r t a l , b e c o m e s i n W h i t e h e a d ' s c o s -

m o l o g y t h e e s s e n t ia l C r e a t i v i t y i n h e r e n t i n t h e n a t u r e o f t h in g s .

T o P l a t o - - - a t l e a s t , t o t h e c o m p o s e r o f t h e e a r l y a n d m i d d l e d i a l o g u e s - - t h e

p a r a d i g m o f re a l it y is th e u n c h a n g i n g w o r l d o f F o r m s . B u t W h i t e h e a d w a s a

l o y a l s o n o f h is c e n t u r y a n d t o h i m r e a l i t y is P r o c e s s f i r s t a n d l a st . I n t h e s e l e c t u r e s ,

a s we l l a s i n Science and the Modern World, h e c l a i m e d t h e t r a n s i t i o n o f t h i n g s

t o b e a n a l l -p e r v a s i v e f a c t i n h e r e n t i n t h e v e r y c h a r a c t e r o f w h a t i s r e a l. S o h e w a s

d e l i g h t e d t o p o i n t o u t t o u s t h a t i n t h e Sophist P l a t o s e e m e d a t l a s t t o r e a l i z e t h e

l i m i t a t i o n s o f a s t a t i c c o n c e p t i o n o f b e i n g , o f f e r i n g h i s r e a d e r s i n s t e a d a q u i t e

l i te r a ll y d y n a m i c c o n c e p t o f th e re a l . C e n t r a l t o W h i t e h e a d ' s c o m m e n t a r y o n P l a t o

i s a n a p p e a l t o t h e p h i l o s o p h e r ' s a s s e r t i o n i n t h e

Sophist

t h a t B e i n g i s P o w e r

( 8 6 v c q x t g ) , t h a t w e c a n n o t a l l o w t h e r e a l t o b e c o n c e i v e d i n t e r m s o f e v e r l a s t i n g

a n d m e a n i n g l e s s f i x it y . I f W h i t e h e a d h a d e v e r h e a r d o f t h e s u g g e s t io n t h a t t h i s


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7 0 H I S T O R Y O F P H I L O S O P H Y

f a m o u s p a s s a g e m i g h t c o n c e i v a b l y b e a S t o ic in t e r p o l a t io n , h e m a d e n o m e n t i o n

o f i t i n c l a s s .

I n e d i t i n g h i s d i s c o u r s e o n P l a t o ' s c o s m o l o g y w h i c h f o l l o w s , I h a v e s u p p l i e d

f o o t n o t e s t o i d e n t i f y th e P l a t o n i c t e x t s W h i t e h e a d r e f e r s t o , a s w e l l a s a f e w c r o s s -

r e f e r e n c e s t o h i s Adventures of Ideas.

J O S E P H G E R A R D B ~ t ~

Barnard College

Columbia University

C y r i l B a i le y ' s b o o k o n t h e G r e e k a t o m i s t s i s a m a s t e r p i e c e o f m o d e r n c r i t ic a l

l e a r n i n g . 1 T h e o r d i n a r y s c h o l a r i s in s u c h a b l u e f u n k f o r f e a r o f b e i n g u n h i s t o r i c a l

t h a t h e r e d u c e s P l a t o t o t h e l e v e l o f t h e r e s t o f t h e A t h e n i a n s . T h e l e a r n i n g o f c r i t ic a l

s c h o l a r s h i p is s o m e t h i n g y o u c a n n o t d o w i t h o u t , a n d c r i t ic a l s c h o l a r s a r e m u c h f e w e r

t h a n l e a r n e d m e n . C y r i l B a i le y re a l l y d e a l s w i t h L u c r e t i u s, w i t h w h a t h e t h o u g h t ; h e

c o r r e l a t e s h i m w i t h t h e t h o u g h t o f m o d e r n t im e s . L u c r e t iu s a n d E p i c u r u s m a k e r a t h e r

a n e a s y s u b je c t , b e c a u s e t h e y b e l o n g t o t h e c l e a r h e a d e d s e t . z T h e t h e o r y o f E p i c u r u s

i s t h a t t h e u n i v er s e is a n u n c o m m o n l y c o m p l e x s o r t o f t h in g , s o t h a t i t i s o n l y a c l e a r -

h e a d e d p e r s o n w h o w i l l b e a d e q u a t e t o d e a l w i t h a l l t h a t v a r i e t y o f e x p e r i en c e . O n

t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h e r e a r e p e o p l e o f s u ff i ci e nt l y g r e a t m e t a p h y s i c a l i n s i g h t w h o b e c o m e

m e t a p h y s i c a l l y i n a d e q u a t e b e c a u s e t h e y g e t a l l m u d d l e d . P l a t o i s e s s e n t i a ll y t h e m a n

w h o i s s e e k i n g a d e q u a c y [ e ve n if it b e a t t h e e x p e n s e o f c l a r i t y ] ) I f y o u c o m e t o P l a t o

f o r t h e f i rs t t i m e , y o u r f i r st i m p r e s s i o n is : w h a t a m u d d l e t h e m a n ' s i n B u t w h a t a n

a s t o u n d i n g n u m b e r o f u n b o r n s c ie n t if ic i d e a s th e m a n p u t s ou t O n e ' s fi rs t i m p r e s s i o n

o f t h e Timaeus i s t h a t i t i s b o t h m u d d l e d a n d s i ll y . B u t w h e n y o u l o o k i n t o t h e p r i n -

c i p l e s P l a t o i s t ry i n g t o e x p re s s , y o u f i n d h e p u t s u p a v e r y d e e p m e t a p h y s i c a l a n d

c o s m o l o g i c a l s u g g e s t i o n .

L o o k , f o r e x a m p l e , a t P l a t o ' s d o c t r i n e o f t h e f o u r e l e m e n t s , o f t h e s o li d s; 4 a s a

m a t t e r o f fa c t , w h a t a n a s t o u n d i n g a n t i c i p a t i o n o f m o d e r n p h y s i c s. W e h a v e g o n e

f r o m 4 0 u p t o 9 2 e l e m e n t s , a n d t h e n k n o c k e d t h e m t o p i e c e s , a s t h e y t h e m s e l v e s a r e

o n l y c o m b i n a t i o n s . T h e f ir e, a i r , e a r t h , w a t e r t h e o r y i s th e f o r e s h a d o w i n g o f m o d e r n

p h y s i c a l s c i e n c e . W h a t f a n t a s t i c s t u f f i t i s, I m e a n P l a t o ' s b r i n g i n g i n t h e d o c t r i n e o f

t h e s o li d s I n P l a t o ' s t i m e , t h e y w e r e j u s t p u t ti n g f o r w a r d m a t h e m a t i c s , e s p e c i a ll y t h a t

o f i r r a t i o n a l n u m b e r s . T h a t w a s a n e w d i s c o v e r y a n d n e a r l y k n o c k e d o v e r r el i gi o n .

P l a t o ' s w a s t h e f ir s t d i v i n a t i o n t h a t t h e s e n e w s c i e n c e s , w h i c h h a d u p t o t h e n o n l y b e e n

Cy r i l Ba i l ey , The Greek Atomists and Epicurus, Oxford , 1928 .

2 W h i t eh ead d iv id ed p h i lo so p h e r s i n to two c l a sse s , m u d d le - h ead e d an d c l ea r - h ea d ed ,

wi th P l a to an d h im se l f i n t h e f i rs t c a t eg o r y , Ar i s to t l e , E p icu r u s , an d Hu m e in t h e seco n d .

L a te r i n t h e se l e c tu r e s , W h i t eh ead say , " T h e r e i s a d an g e r i n c l a r i t y , t h e d an g e r o f o v e r lo o k in g

th e su b t l e t i e s o f t r u th . "

s W o r d s an d p h r a se s i n b r ack e t s su p p l i ed .

9 Timaeus

32b, 53c-57c.


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N O T E S A N D D I S C U S S I O N S 71

s p o r a d i c a l l y a n d p r a g m a t i c a l l y st u d ie d , h a d s u d d e n l y b e e n g i v e n a t r e m e n d o u s p u s h

f o r w a r d . T h i s is th e k e y to t h e u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e p h y s i c a l s t r u c t u r e o f t h e u n i v e r s e

- - t h e f a n t a s t i c th e o r y o f p r o p o r t i o n s , t h e v i b r a t i o n o f t h e s t ri n g s a n d t h e l a w s o f

h a r m o n i c s . A r e t h e r e a n y s p e c ia l s h a p e s i n m a t h e m a t i c s ? O n l y t e n y e a r s a g o , s o m e o n e

d i s c o v e r e d t h a t t h e re a r e b u t f iv e r e g u l a r s o l i d s. M a t h e m a t i c s h a s j u s t c a u g h t u p t o t h e

q u e s ti o n o f t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f s h a p e a n d m e a s u r e m e n t . T w o h u n d r e d y e a r s a f te r t h e

Timaeus

A r c h i m e d e s g a v e t h e s c i en c e s a s e c o n d i m p o r t a n t p r i n c i p l e o f m e n s u r a t i o n .

T h e r e w a s t h e m y s t i c a l e l e m e n t i n th e s e sh a p e s , y o u k n o w . T h e c i r c le w a s t h e m o s t

s a c r e d f o r m . T a k e a n a l l - w i s e G o d , a n d h e a l w a y s t h i n k s r i g h t ly . T h e s t a r s t h i n k t o

m o v e i n t h e m o s t p e r f e c t w a y p o s s i b le ; h e n c e t h e y m o v e i n c i r c le s . T h a t i s P l a t o s

p r o o f t h a t t h e s t a r s a r e g o d s . T h e u n i v e r s e m o v e s i n a c i r c l e, b e c a u s e i t i s t h e m o s t

b e a u t i f u l w a y i n w h i c h t o m o v e . s

T h i n k o f t h e s u g g e s ti o n t h a t t h e s h a p e s d i s c o v e r e d in m a t h e m a t i c s a r e g o i n g t o b e

e x e m p l i f ie d i n t h e s t r u c t u r e o f t h e u n iv e r s e . T h i s q u e s t i o n w a s u p a b l i n d a l le y . A f t e r

A r c h i m e d e s , s c ie n c e ( n o t m a t h e m a t i c s ) w e n t t o s le e p p r e t t y m u c h . T h e n e x t g r e a t j u m p

w a s i n t h e f if t e en t h c e n t u r y w h e n K e p l e r d i s c o v e r e d t h a t t h e p l a n e t s m o v e i n e l l i p ti c a l

o r b i t s. B u t if th e m a t h e m a t i c i a n s h a d b e e n s t u d y i n g f o r 2 00 0 y e a r s w i t h o u t a n y t h i n g

b u t m y s t i c a l h o p e s , K e p l e r w o u l d n e v e r h a v e s p o t t e d t h e m o t i o n o f t h e p l a n e ts .

Y o u h a v e t h a t c r u d e a n c i e n t n o t i o n o f f ir e, e a r t h , a i r a n d w a t e r , a n d t h e s t a rs g o i n g

a r o u n d i n ci rc l es . M y s t i c a l , y e s, b u t i t c o n t a i n e d a n e x t r a o r d i n a r i l y g o o d n o t i o n o f t h e

s t r u c t u r e o f t h e w o r l d . E v e n K e p l e r s d i s c o v e r y w a s n o t a s t r u e a s h e t h o u g h t i t w a s .

Y o u r b e s t d i s c o v e r i e s a r e n e v e r s o g o o d a s y o u h o p e t h e y a re . H i s w a s g o o d e n o u g h

t o s u g g e s t t h e l a w o f g r a v i t a t i o n .

I w a n t y o u t o re a l i z e h o w a m a n l i k e P l a t o c o m b i n e s t h e d e e p e s t w i s d o m w i t h t h e

m o s t f u t il e a p p l i c a t i o n . E v e r y g o o d i d e a is b r o u g h t i n a s a s w e e p i n g n o t i o n , a n d i t s

l i m i t a t i o n s h a v e t o b e f o u n d o u t. O f c o u r s e , h e s m u d d l e - h e a d e d . T h e d i f f e re n c e b e -

t w e e n L u c r e t i u s d o c t r i n e o f t h e s o u l, f o r e x a m p l e , a n d P l a t o s , i s th i s : L u c r e t i u s

d o c t r i n e i s c l e ar , b u t i t c a n n o t p o s s i b l y b e t r u e .

I I

T h e

Tirnaeus

e x p r e s s e s t h e e x t r e m e i n f i n i t u d e o f t h e u n i v e r s e . B y t a k i n g o n e s e l e c -

t i o n o f t h e d i a lo g u e , y o u c a n g e t o n e a p p r o a c h ; b y t a k i n g a d i f fe r e n t o n e , y o u c a n g e t

a n o t h e r . T h e u n i v e r s e is so c o m p l e x , i t i s d o u b t f u l w h e t h e r t h e r e i s m o r e t h a n o n e

w a y o f lo o k i n g a t i t o r n o t. P l a t o s a y s i n h is

Epistles

t h a t h e h a s n o t a c h i e v e d a

c o m p l e t e s y s t e m a t i z a t i o n o f h is i d e a s . 6 I s t h e r e a t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y p h i l o s o p h y ? T h e r e

i s n o o n e t w e n t ie t h c e n t u r y s y s te m , b u t m a n y d i v e r g e n t a n d o b v i o u s l y i m p o r t a n t p o i n t s

o f v i e w .

I f y o u t a k e t h e l a t e r P l a t o n i c d i a l o g u e s , y o u w i l l f i nd a r e a l d i f fe r e n c e f r o m t h e

g r e a t p o p u l a r o n e s l i k e

Republic

a n d

Phaedrus.

I n t h e l a t e r d i a l o g u e s , P l a t o i s e x p e ri -

m e n t i n g w i t h a d i f f e r e n t s e t o f i d e a s . T h e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y i s a t i t s w e a k e s t i n i t s

a p p r o a c h t o t h e se d i a l o g u e s . F o r t h e m a t e r i a l i s t i c - m e c h a n i s t i c v i e w o f t h e w o r l d w a s

5 Tim.

34a, b .

6 Epistle V1L

341c. See

Adventures o/Ideas

(New York , 1933) , p . 188 .


7/13


t h e n t r i u m p h a n t = s o t r i u m p h a n t t h a t i t b e c a m e t h e o n l y c o m m o n - s e n s e p o i n t o f v ie w .

M o s t o f th e ni n e te e n t h c e n t u ry c o m m e n t a t o r s o n P l a t o d i d n o t k n o w m u c h p h y si cs

o r m a t h e m a t i c s . T h i s l e d t o t w o d i f f e r e n t v i ew s o f t h e s o u l, a n d i t w a s a t h o r o u g h -

g o i n g d u a l i sm . F i r s t , t h e s o u l is b u n k ; o n l y t h e y d i d n o t s a y " t h e s o u l i s b u n k ," b u t

" t h e s o u l i s a n e p i p h e n o m e n o n . " T h i s w a s f ir s t c o u s i n t o t h e v i e w o f E p i c u r u s , w h o

h e l d t h a t t h e s o u l w a s s i m p l y f in e r a t o m s . T h e g o d s e n j o y e d t h e m s e l v e s in t h e

h y p e r -

m u n d i a

b u t t h e y r e a l l y d i d n o t i n f l u e n c e th e o t h e r a t o m s , e s p e c i a ll y th o s e o f t h e

s o u l. T h e s e c o n d v i e w i s t h a t N a t u r e i s th e w a y i n w h i c h t h e s o u l i n t e r p r e t s it s p u r e l y

s u b j e c t i v e e x p e r i en c e . T h i s i s I d e a l i s m . A l l t h e se c l a s s i c a l c r i t ic a l s c h o l a r s ( a n d t h e y

h a d a s o m e w h a t f e e b l e g r a s p o f t hi n g s ) t o o k t h e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y v i e w a s c o m m o n -

s e n se . N o w y o u c a n s e e h o w s i ll y t h is i s . W h e n y o u h a v e a s u p r e m e g e n i u s , t h e l a st

t h i n g y o u s h o u l d e x p e c t f r o m h i m i s c o m m o n s e ns e . P l a t o i s o f te n n e a r t h e n i n e te e n t h

c e n t u r y v i e w , b u t h e n e v e r q u i t e a d o p t s a n y o n e o f i ts p o i n ts .

B u t t h e r e a re m a n y v i e w s o f P l a t o b e s i d e s t h e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y o n e . T h e r e i s

A r i s t o t l e ' s v i e w o f h i m , t h e R o m a n t i c l i t e r a r y i d e a o f P l a t o , a n d t h e C h r i s t i a n v ie w .

P l a t o w a s a t t h e b a s i s o f C h r i s t i a n t h e o l o g y . A u g u s t i n e t h o u g h t h e w a s v e r y n e a r ly

a s a i n t . B u t P l a t o ' s d o c t r i n e [ i n t h e

T i m a e u s ]

w a s n e a r e r t o t h e d o c t r i n e o f t h e

G n o s t i c s a n d t h e o t h e r f o r m s o f d e t e s t a b l e h e r e s ie s t h a n i t w a s t o t h e o r t h o d o x

C h r i s t i a n t h e o l o g y . 7

W h a t a r e P l a t o 's f u n d a m e n t a l n o t i o n s c o n c e r n i n g t h e u n i ve r se ? W e f in d in w h a t -

e v e r

is

t h a t t h e r e i s n o

B e c o m i n g .

B a c k o f t h e u n i v e r s e , t h e r e m u s t b e s o m e t h i n g

w h i c h d o e s n o t c h a n g e . T h e r e i s t h a t w h i c h b e c o m e s a n d p e r i s h es . T h e r e i s

Pa ssa g e .

T h e n t h e r e i s t h e s o r t o f b e i n g w h i c h r e a l l y

is.

T h e d o c t r i n e o f t h e u n c h a n g i n g w o r l d

o f F o r m s b e l o n g s m o r e t o t h e e a r l i e r d i a l o g u e s . P r o b a b l y t h e T i m a e u s w a s w r i t t e n

w h e n P l a t o w a s w e l l o v e r s e v e n ty . B u t h e h o l d s o n t o t h e E t e r n a l , a d i m e n s i o n o f b e i n g

a c c e s s i b l e t o th e o p e r a t i o n o f M i n d . T h e r e i s t h e E t e r n a l , a n d t h e r e i s t h a t w h i c h

b e c o m e s a n d p e r i s h e s . P l a t o l i k e d y a c h t i n g , t h e s p o r t o f t h e a r i s t o c r a t . Y a c h t i n g - - t h e

t u r n a n d t h e fl as h w h e r e e v e r y t h i n g i s b e c o m i n g a n d n o t h i n g r e a l l y i s A r i s t o t l e w a s

t h e s o n o f a p r o f e s s i o n a l m a n , a n d h a d n o s u c h a m u s e m e n t s . T h i s s h o w s h o w f u n d a -

m e n t a l n o t i o n s a r e r e f le c t e d i n a m a n ' s h a b i t o f l if e , a n d v i c e v e r s a. T h e f o r m a t i o n

o f s y s te m s is t h e c r i t i q u e o f f u n d a m e n t a l n o t i on s . T a k e m e l o d y . M e l o d y i s a l w a y s

b e c o m i n g

a n d n e v e r

is

a s a w h o l e . T h e w o r l d , t o P l a t o , i s in a s t a t e o f m e l o d y ; i t i s

a l w a y s b e c o m i n g - - a s a n i m i t a t i o n o f t h e r e a l m e l o d y .

G o d i s th e a r t i s a n o f t h e w o r l d , a n d t h e n t h e r e a r e t h e v a r i o u s s o u ls . 8 H e r e P l a t o

d e c i d e d l y c o n n e c t s t h e U n c h a n g i n g a n d t h e w o r l d o f B e c o m i n g b y G o d a n d t h e s o ul s.

T h e f u n c t i o n o f G o d i s t o c o n t e m p l a t e a n d g a z e u p o n t h e b e a u t y o f t h e e t e r n a l I d e a s.

B u t t h i s r e s o lv e s in t o a n a c t i v i t y w h i c h i s t h e c r e a t i o n o f t h e w o r l d . G o d i s e v e r t h e

s a m e , y e t t h e r e is a m o t i o n , a n a c t i v i t y i n G o d . G o d i s i n m o t i o n a s t h e s o u l i s t h e p r i n -

c i p l e o f a c t i v i t y . P l a t o s a y s t h e S o u l i s t h e p r i n c i p l e o f s e l f - m o t i o n . 9 H e s a y s p r e c i o u s

l i t tl e a b o u t G o d .

D o e s i t b e l o n g t o th e e s s e n c e o f G o d t o c o n t e m p l a t e t h e F o r m s ? D o u b t l e s s t h e y

b e l o n g t o g e t h e r, G o d a n d t h e I d e a s , t o f o r m t h e s p i r i t o f t h e w h o l e d i a l o g u e . In t h e

r See

Adventures o / Ideas

p. 166.

8 Tim.

34b-37c.

Tim. 37b.


8/13

NOT ES AND DISCUSSIONS 73

Tirnaeus, God is the Artisan, the Mak er, the Fas hion er, the Demiurgos . 10 But God

did not bring forth the world from nothing. It is a mistake to tie Plato up with the

first chapter of Genesis, for there, God created the word from nothing. Plato's God

brought the world out of a welter of confusion.

III

There are certain things in Nature , says Plato, th at are not i nfluenced by time, for

example, numbers, blueness; these are the eternal Forms. There is a tendency in

Plato's early dialogues to look upon the static beauty of the eternal Forms. The dis-

covery of the importance of mathematical proportion [plays its part here]--how the

beauty of the Parthenon depends on its proportions, or the melody on the length of

the string.

The Greeks prided themselves on their humanity. They condemned inhuman prac-

tices as un-Greek, although they were not without them themselves. The Greeks saw

the workmen impressing the beauty of the Forms while building the Parthenon. They

saw the Mixed--the beauty of the Aegean and the olive groves, and the horrible

catastrophes of the world. 11 The Greeks were the first people who looked upo n social

life as a thing of beauty.

You have the world with its Passingness, its sense of transition. Then you have its

Activity, more than passingness, action in changin g environm ent. You have Power

(~rvctpt~), that whi ch directs activity, the Soul. The n you hav e the Beauty of the

world--you feel the artist impressing the Forms. If you knock out Soul, there is no

directive agency. It is the Soul which, en terta inin g its experience in the F orms, im-

presses its activity on the body of the world. The notion of Activity is a somewhat

later not ion in Plato. There is a very interesting discussion of it in the Sophist. There

is an entirely wrong tradition amo ng the commentat ors that Plato is trying to bring

out one definite system. In his later years, he had an entirely different notion; he was

considering those im porta nt and fun damen tal notions without which the universe

could not be understood, but these were n ot stated in sufficiently fund amen tal terms.

Now in this dialectical verbalization, you can easily find contradiction. But he does

not aban don his earlier notions because of the contrad iction involved. What he means

is that you must seek a more fun dam ent al mode of expression, a more fitting verbaliza-

tion. Consider that passage in the

Sophist

abou t Power: Being is an energy arising

from a power .. .. Anyth ing affected by anything, however slight, has existence .. .

I ventu re to state that Being is Power. 12 Power bel ongs to the being and essence of

everything. Mind and life belong to complete B ein g-- not Abso lute Being la (Plato

ao Tim., 28-34.

la In the Philebus, Plato distinguishes between the ontological principle of the Limit

(n~ptt~) and that of the Unl imited (rn~tpov), roughly corresponding to the cosmological

factors of the Forms and the Receptacle of the Timaeus. The Mixed (lalK~6V) is a compound

of the two principles, and the mode of being we find in the mortal world. See

Philebus

26,

27. J. G. B.

~2 Sophist,

247e. See

Adventures of Ideas,

p. 153.

~a Whitehead is here referring to Jowett's translation of x~ naweL~q 6wt

Sophist,

248e).

See

Adventures of Ideas,

p. 203.


9/13


n e v e r r e a d H e g e l ) , b u t c o m p l e t e B e in g . H e t h e n s h o w s t h a t y o u c a n n o t s a y t h a t

e v e r y t h i n g

m o v e s , t h a t e v e r y t h i n g is a c t iv e . T h e F o r m s a r e a c t i v e i n t h e i r r e la t i o n s h ip s ,

Y o u m u s t n o t o v e r s t a t e th e a c t i v it y o f e v e r y t h in g , a n d y o u m u s t n o t u n d e r s t a t e i t . N o t -

B e i n g i s n o t N o t h i n g ; i t i s O t h e r - t h a n - B e i n g , a f o r m o f B e i n g. 14

T h e F o r m s i n t h e m s e l v e s h a v e a n e t e r n a l i t y a n d a s t a t ic q u a li t y . B u t t h e i r r e l a ti o n

t o S o u l h a s a r e l a t i o n t o t h e w o r m o f B e c o m i n g . I t i s t h e S u p r e m e A r t i s t , w i t h h is

g a z e o n t he F o r m s , w h o b r i n g s o r d e r o u t o f t h e i r r a t i o n a l . A p a r t f r o m G o d , t h e r e

w o u l d b e n o o r d e r l in e s s . P l a t o s a y s n e i t h e r G o d n o r t h e W o r l d a r e a n t e c e d e n t t o

o n e a n o t h e r . Y o u c a n n o t a b s t r a c t G o d f r o m t h e w o r l d , f o r y o u w i l l h a v e l e f t o n l y

f r o z e n F o r m s ; a n d y o u c a n n o t a b s t r ac t t h e w o r l d f r o m G o d , f o r y o u w i l l h a v e l ef t

o n l y c o n f u s i o n . T h e e t e r n a l i t y o f t h e F o r m s g i v e s y o u t h e I d e a ls , th e P a t t e r n s , w h i c h

h a v e p a s s e d i n t o t h e w o r l d b y w a y o f t h e S o u l . T h e S o u l i s c o n t r o l l e d b y U n d e r -

s t a n d i n g , w h i c h i s w i t h i n S o u l . P l a t o s a y s i n t h e T i r n a e u s t h a t G o d p u t i n t e l l i g e n c e

i n S o u l a n d S o u l i n B o d y , f o r t h is w a s t h e m o s t b e a u t i f u l w a y t o c r e a t e a w o r l d . 15

W h e n h e t a l k s o f " B o d y , " P l a t o i s t h i n k i n g a b o u t t h e t u r b u l e n c e o f t h e w o r ld .

T h e B o d y i s t h e a b o r i g i n a l n o t i o n o f B e i n g. T h e o r d e r i n t h e w o r M , w h e r e t h e r e i s a

m i n i m u m o f S o u l , i s b y t h e m a t h e m a t i c a l F o r m s . B o d y , h e s a y s , is v i s i b le a n d t a ng i b le .

V i s i b l e n e s s r e q u i r e s F i r e ( n o t a t a l l a b a d s h o t ) a n d t a n g i b l e n e s s r e q u i r e s r e s i s t a n c e ,

s o l i d i t y w h i c h i s E a r t h . H e a s s o c ia t e s F i r e w i t h L i g h t . W e s a y t h a t l i g h t is a f o r m o f

e l e c tr o - m a g n e t ic v ib r a t io n . I f y o u t o l d P l a t o o f N e w t o n ' s l a w o f M a s s a n d I n e rt i a, h e

w o u l d s a y , " Y e s , I a l w a y s t h o u g h t t h a t w a s a n i m p o r t a n t n o t i o n . " T h e n h e m a k e s a

s h o t a t m a t h e m a t i c s , a t p r o p o r t i o n . M a t h e m a t i c s , t h o u g h t P l a t o , c o u l d d e a l w i t h

M a t t e r . T h i s i s t r ue , b u t h e t h o u g h t i t w a s e a s i e r t h a n i t w a s . T w o t h o u s a n d y e a r s o f

d e v e l o p m e n t o f a l g e b r a h a d t o c o m e b e f o r e t h is w a s p o s s ib l e . T h e d e r i va t i v e s o u l s - -

t h e H e a v e n s - - a r e G o d ' s t r iu m p h , f o r h e r e h e m a n a g e d t o b a n is h co n f u si o n . T h e

s t a r s a r e a l w a y s d o i n g t h e s a m e t h i n g , f o r i t is t h e b e s t t h in g t o d o . B e c a m e o f t h a t

m o t i o n , y o u h a v e T i m e . H e r e y o u h a v e t h e s t a r s g i v i n g y o u a m o v i n g i m a g e o f

e t e r n i t y . 1~

I V

W h e n h e g e t s t o a c e r t a i n p o i n t i n t h e

T i m a e u s

P l a t o c o m e s t o t h e c o u r s e o f H i s -

t o r y , w h i c h h a s a n e l e m e n t o f

o p i n i o n

i n it . T h e n u m b e r o f p e o p l e in t h is r o o m

i l lu s t r a t e s s o m e t h i n g w h i c h i s n o t h i s t o r y ; t h a t w h i c h i s n o t h i s t o r y e n t e r s i n t o t h e

u n i v e r s e b y a u n i v e r s a l s o u l. B u t w h e n y o u l o o k a t t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e u n i v e rs e , y o u

f i nd a n e l e m e n t t h a t i s s e e m i n g l y s o c o m p l e t e l y u n d e r s t a n d a b l e t h a t i t is a l m o s t o u t

o f t h e w a y o f h i s t o r y . T h e h e a v e n s e x e m p l i f y p e r f e c t i o n , f o r e x a m p l e , b y b e a u t y .

W h e n P l a t o d i s c o u r s e s o n t h e n a t u r e o f a c i r c le , o r a s o l i d , y o u h a v e h i s t o r y w h i c h h a s

b e c o m e m o r e t h a n h i s t o r y - - t h e l i n k b e t w e e n t h e w o r l d a n d t h e D e m i u r g e. T h e w h o l e

t h in g i s i n t e g ra t e d in m u c h t h e s a m e w a y - - a l t h o u g h m o r e s a t i s f a c t o r i l y - - i n t h e m o d e r n

t h e o r y o f r e l a t iv i t y a n d t h e q u a n t u m t h e o r y . P l a t o l o o k s o n t h e u n i v e r s e a s th e c h o s e n

14 Soph . 258.

I s T i m . 30b.

1 T i m . 38b.


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NOT ES AND DISCUSSIONS 75

home of the gods, for there they are, exhibiting perfection and eternity. The beau ty of

the history of Ideas lifts you out of potentiality.

There is another question in Plato in regard to those eternal Forms.17 As a matter

of fact, he is essentially conceiving of the w orld as f l u x . When I contemplate that desk,

however, I am not impressed by the fact that everything is flux. The Forms seem to

touch the world and to disappear. This leads Plato to the doctrine of Imitation. The

heavens imitate everlastingness. The beauty of the Forms is that they are precise,

measurable; they are accurate. By the heavens we regulate our own time. When you

get away from the heavens to the flame you get away from this accuracy. The flame

is only such-like. is

Perception immediately runs from the imitati on perceived to the For m which

works with the mind--passage to the eternal form of fire, which the understanding

grasps. Hume says [something like this] when he talks of ideas as impressions of the

understanding. Plato is conceiving a flux of F orms; the very fact that your head

waggles, modifies it; hence you can never see the perfect Circle. The total result of

the impression is sensation. It is as if one Form gave a butterfly kiss to the universe,

and then flew off again. Since that time, mathematics has moved on a bit--consider

Leibniz and his completely independen t intro ducti on of a new no tion to mathematics,

that is, the

f l u x t h e

flux which can itself have a form. This is the astounding dis-

covery of differential calculus.

The Greeks cared for athletics and the beauty of it. The first thing you think

of when you deal with a horse is--has he a good action? It is curious that Plato did

not hit on the notion of the form of a flux as well as the flux of a form. When you

describe what is going oa in differential expressions, you do so in terms of the

/ o r m

o / t h e f l u x .

When you have an integral for this equation, then you have the

f l u x o [ t h e

[ o r r n .

But Plato did not know that, so he doesn't touch it. Because they had less detailed

knowledge than we, Plato and the ancients often went off into aesthetic mysticism.

But if Plato came to Harvard today, he would ask his way to the department of

mathematics; I haven't the slightest doubt of it.

The interest of the Soul to Plato is self-motion; thinking is essentially motion.

Plato has two points of view: the w onde rful intelligible, eternal changelessness of the

For ms is apparent ly devoid of mot ion. ~9 Th en he looks o n so ul as that which gives

motion to the eternal things and thereby makes them impor tant. 2~ The early Plato runs

away with the notion of eternal changelessness being the best. In the T i m a e u s he

makes use of the not ion of a form of a flux --t he stars with their eyes fixed on b eaut y

revolve in circles, because it is the mo st beaut iful thin g to do. 21 When Plato is

abstracting the Soul, the self-moving element, he gets the Receptacle i n the abstrac-

tion. The Receptacle minus Soul is disorderly motion.

Plato abstracts soul from body completely. He fails to note the essential im-

manence of soul and body, and the essential imm anen ce of b oth transition and eternity.

17 The function of the Forms or Models in the creation of the world is mentioned in

T i m a e u s

28, 29, 48e, 49a, 50d, 51d, 52a. J. G. B.

l a Tim. 49d.

l g Phaedo 78d, e.

~o Tim.

37a, b.

~x Tim. 39d; P h a ed r u s 245d, e.


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T h e r e i s tr a n s i t i o n o f t r a n s i t i o n ; a f l u x o f t h e f l u x. [ T h e r e i s] a l w a y s a f o r m i n a n y

f lu x , b u t e a c h f o r m i s a l w a y s q u a l i f y in g . Y e t P l a t o [ in h is d o c t r i n e o f S o u l ] i s p r e p a r i n g

t h e w a y f o r a l m o s t e v e ry v a r ie t y o f p h i l o s o p h e r w h o c a m e a f t e r h i m . B u t h e m a n a g e s

o n l y t o s h o w h o w i n t e n s e l y n a t u r a l i s t i s a n y p o i n t o f v i e w s i nc e . H e i s p r e p a r i n g

t h e w a y f o r t h e C a r t e s i a n d o c t r i n e o f s o u l s w h i c h o n l y t h i n k a n d n e e d n o t h i n g e l se

t o ex i st . B u t w h y d o o u r s o u l s m a n a g e t o r u n a b o u t w i t h o u r b o d i e s ?

P l a t o i s f o r t u n a t e l y n o t c o n s i s t e nt ; h e i s t h i n k i n g o f t h e c o n n e c t i o n s o f a l l m o t i o n

w h i c h i s t h e R e c e p t a c l e . 22 I t is s o d i s o r d e r l y t h a t t h e r e i s n o i n f l u e n c e w h a t s o e v e r ; i t is

a c o m p l e t e l y p o s it i v is t i c u n i v e rs e . T h e n o t i o n o f t h e F o r m s e x i s t i n g o n l y f o r a m o m e n t

w i t h o u t q u a l i f y i n g th e e x p e r i e n c e o r s o u l s , o r w i t h o u t e n t e r i n g f o r a m o m e n t t h e " g o "

o f t h e u n i v e r s e , i s r i d i c u l o u s . I f y o u a b s t r a c t T i m e , y o u h a v e t h e f r o z e n F o r m s . I f y o u

a b s t r a c t O r d e r , y o u h a v e c o m p l e t e c o n f u s i o n . A n d t h e r e is n o c o m p l e t e d i s o r d e r . W h e n

y o u m a k e a c o m p l e t e a b s t r a c ti o n f r o m n u m b e r s , y o u h a v e n o m e a n i n g l e f t . H e b r in g s

i n a l s o t h e n o t i o n o f

Persu asion . 2a

S o u l p e r s u a d e s t h e m o t i o n t o r e c e i v e o r d e r i n s o f a r

a s i t i s p o s si b l e . T h i s s h o w s P l a t o ' s c a r e i n b e i n g a d e q u a t e . E v e r y f o r m o f f l u x i s

a l w a y s b r e a k i n g d o w n . B u t t h e u n i v e r s e e x h ib i t s o rd e r . H e t r ie s t o a c c o u n t f o r t h i s

a t t h e c o s t o f t h e v e r y d i ff i cu l t i d e a o f P e r s u a s i o n . H e p r e f e r s a n i d e a l i k e P e r s u a s io n ,

w h i c h i s d if f ic u l t, t o a s i m p l e o n e w h i c h i s n o t t r u e .

V

T h e r e is a t e n d e n c y a m o n g c o m m e n t a t o r s t o m a k e P l a t o a s y s t e m a t i c p h i l o s o p h e r .

B u t P l a t o t r ie d t o c a t c h e v e r y a s p e c t th e u n i v e r s e p r e s e n t e d ; h e w a s n o t a n x i o u s t o p u t

u p s o m e t h i n g w h i c h c o u l d n o t b e r e j ec t e d . H e k n e w t h e r e w e r e i n c o n s i st e n c i es in h i s

i d e a s. T h i s c o m e s o u t i n h i s n o t i o n o f t h e R e c e p t a c le . I t is c l e a r t h a t h e d o e s n o t k n o w

w h a t t o s a y a b o u t i t. H e s a y s it is " b a r e o f a l l f o r m s . " 24 T h e n h e s a y s i t is a w e l t e r

o f c o n f u s e d h a p p e n i n g s . 25 T h is n o t i o n i s v e r y c h a r a c t e ri s t i c o f w h a t i s q u it e i m p o r t a n t

i n p h i l o s o p h y . T h e r e i s a R e c e p t a c l e w h i c h b i n d s t o g e t h e r e v e r y t h i n g t h a t h a p p e n s ,

b u t i t d o e s n o t i m p o s e F o r m s ; i t h o l d s w i t h i n i t t h e s p h e r e o f t h e u n i v e rs e . W h e n h e

p a s s e s o n t o t h e n o t i o n o f t h e R e c e p t a c l e a s a n a b s t r a c t i o n f r o m S o u l s, t h en t h e r e

w i l l b e a s i m i l a r c o n f u s i o n . T h e R e c e p t a c l e d o e s n o t e x i s t b y i t se l f , b u t o n l y a s t h e l o c u s

o f h a p p e n i n g s . P l a t o is a p t t o l o o k o n a n y t h i n g t h a t h a s a n i n t e r n a l f o r m o f m o t i o n

i n i t a s S o u l . W i t h t h is i n m i n d , t h e R e c e p t a c l e o u g h t n o t t o h a v e m o t i o n ; i t 's v e r y

d i f fe r e n t f r o m S o u l . T h e r e i s t h a t o t h e r w a y ( h e ta l k s a b o u t i t i n t h e

Sophis t

o f

t h i n k i n g a b o u t t h i n g s ; a n y t h i n g y o u c a n s a y o f a t h i n g e x i s t s - - t h e v e r y d e f i n i t i o n o f

e x i s te n c e i s t o a c t o r b e a c t e d u p o n . 26 W h a t y o u c a n d o i s to s t o p t h i n k in g , c l o s e y o u r

m i n d e x c e p t to c e rt a i n a s p e c t s o f a n o b j e c t . G o o d B u t

c o m p l e t e

a b s t r a c t i o n i s i m -

p o s s i b le . T h e r e i s a u n i t y , a n e s s e n t ia l to g e t h e r n e s s i n t h e u n i v e r s e - - t h i s i s t h e n o t i o n

o f t h e R e c e p t a c l e . T h e i d e a o f t h e R e c e p t a c l e i s t h e o t h e r s i d e o f P l a t o ' s n o t i o n t h a t

2z Tim.,

49a-52d .

26 Tim.,

48a .

24 Tim., 50d, e.

25 Tim.,

52c.

26 Soph.,

248c.


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N O T E S A N D D I S C U S S I O N S 7 7

t h e m e a n i n g o f B e i n g i s s o m e t h i n g e i t h e r a c t i n g o r b e i n g a c t e d u p o n . E v e r y t h i n g t h a t

t h e r e is , i s c o n n e c t e d w i t h s o m e t h i n g e ls e . P l a t o i s o b v i o u s l y k e e p i n g G o d o u t s i d e

o f th e n o t i o n o f t h e R e c e p t a c l e . H e m a k e s t h e s u g g e s t io n t h a t G o d m a d e t h e w o r l d ,

a n d t h e n l e t i t r u n o n i t s o w n . T h i s i s n o t f u n d a m e n t a l i n P l a t o , h o w e v e r ; b u t t h e

n o t i o n o f I m m a n e n c e i s r e a l l y P l a t o n i c . T h e n , w h e n y o u g e t t o th e n o t i o n o f c o m p l e t e

a b s t r a c t i o n , w h e n y o u r e a c h t h e n o t i o n o f t h e b a r e u n i v e r s e a s a w h o l e , y o u h a v e

t h e n o t i o n o f t h e R e c e p t a c l e .

W h e n P l a t o sa y s d i s o r d e r l y m o t i o n z7 h e m e a n s , p e rh a p s , m o t i o n a b s t r a c t e d

f r o m a n y p r i n c i p l e o f o r d e r . T h e n h e b e g i n s t o th i n k o f t h e p r i n c i p l e o f o r d e r i n t h e

u n i v e r s e, a n d t h e r e h e f i nd s th e p r i n c i p l e o f o r d e r t o b e t h a t w h i c h c o n t a i n s t h e

p o s s i b i l i t i e s . H e c o n c e i v e s th e a p t i t u d e o f t h e se p o s s i b i l it i e s f o r c o n j u n c t i o n i n o r d e r l y

r e a l i z a ti o n . T h i s l a s t is v e r y u n P l a t o n i c . ( Y o u c a n n e v e r c o n c e i v e o f a c e r t a i n l i n e o f

t h o u g h t i n p h i l o s o p h y t h a t is i m p o s s i b l e t o g e t o u t o f , t o b r e a k a w a y f r o m . ) T h e

T i m a e u s s e e m s t o h a v e m o r e t h a n o n e p o i n t o f v i ew . T h e F o r m s p r e s e n t u s w i t h a n

u n c h a n g i n g w o r ld , a p e r f e c t w o r l d . P l a t o l o o k s o n t h e m a s G o d c o n t e m p l a t i n g t h e

s t at ic p er f e c ti o n o f t h e F o r m s . T h e n G o d i n so m e w a y b r i n g s a b o u t a b a d i m i t a t io n o f

t h e m w h i c h i s o u r w o r l d . I t h i n k P l a t o h a s t w o d i f fe r e n t n o t i o n s h e r e , f o r i f G o d i s

p r o d u c i n g t h e t i m e f u l w o r l d o w i n g t o hi s m e n t a l a g i t a t i o n c o n s e q u e n t o n h i s o b s e r v i n g

t h e s t at i c w o r l d o f F o r m s , t h e n o t i o n o f t h e d i s o r d e r l y R e c e p t a c l e i s d e a d w r o n g .

P l a t o d e f in i t el y s a y s t h a t G o d f o u n d t h e R e c e p t a c l e , t h a t i t w a s t h e r e a t h a n d . 2 s

W h e n t h e th i n g i s w h i t t le d d ow n , y o u h a v e G o d , t h e R e c e p t a cl e , a n d t h e F o r m s

c o e x i s t i n g . T a k e w h i c h e v e r y o u l i k e , t h a t s e e m s u n P l a t o n i c ; t h e v e r y i d e a o f d i s -

o r d e r l y m o t i o n , e x i s ti n g i n i ts o w n r i g ht , s e e m s u n P l a t o n i c .

I f y o u t a k e t h a t n o t i o n i n th e S o p h i s t t h a t e v e r y t h i n g ( w h e n y o u u n d e r s t a n d i t s

n a t u r e ) i s e s s e n t i a l ly c o n n e c t e d w i t h s o m e t h i n g a n d e v e r y t h i n g e ls e , 29 t h e n P l a t o ' s

h a n d l i n g i n t h e T i m a e u s i s a d m i r a b l e , a l t h o u g h u n f o r t u n a t e i n p h r a s e o l o g y . H e d o e s

n o t s a y w h a t w o u l d h a p p e n i f G o d c a n g o o n w i t h o u t c o n t e m p l a t i o n o f t h e F o r m s .

B y th e F o r m s , G o d i s i m p r e s s i n g h i m s e l f o n t h e w o r l d . B u t t h e n t h e r e i s a n o t h e r

n o t i o n - - t h e E r o s . 3 ~ T h i s i s a n o t h e r o n e o f t h o s e v a g u e i d e a s , l i k e th e R e c e p t a c l e ,

w h i c h a s s u m e s s i g n if i c a n ce a c c o r d i n g t o w h a t s t a g e o f a b s t r a c t i o n y o u t a k e i t i n .

T h e E r o s i s th a t a s p e c t o f t h e w o r l d b y w h i c h i t i s a l w a y s p r e s s i n g o n t o f r e s h c r e a t i o n .

T h e w o r l d i s a m u l t i p l i c i ty o f a c t u a l it i e s , e a c h m u l t i p l i c i t y w i t h i t s u r g e o f t h e r e a l i z a -

t io n o f c e r t ai n e n d s . E v e r y a c t u a l i ty i s p r e s s in g o n t o w a r d - - c r e a t i o n - - t h e e s s e nt ia l

c r e a t i v i ty i n th i s w o r l d o f P a s s a g e . T h i s i s a n o t i o n o f c o n f u s i o n . S o y o u t a k e t h e E r o s

i n it s f u l l m e a n i n g , i n c h a r a c t e r i z i n g G o d , t h e E r o s a s s e e n i n th e n a t u r e o f G o d , a n

u r g e t o w a r d p e r f e c t i o n , t o w a r d s o r d e r . 31

I n d e a l i n g w i t h t h e s e c o s m o l o g i c a l n o t i o n s , y o u m u s t b e c a r e f u l o f w h a t s t a g e o f

a b s t r a c t i o n y o u f i n d y o u r s e l f i n , a n d w h a t y o u a r e a b s t r a c t i n g . W h e r e P l a t o d e a l s

e s p e c i a l l y w i t h E r o s i s i n t h e

S y m p o s i u m .

H e g o e s t h r o u g h e v e r y k i n d o f l o v e - - -m e n

b e c o m i n g d ru n k , a n d m e n b e c o m i n g s o b e r , m e n a c t i v e a n d p a s s i v e , w i s e a n d s i l l y,

2~ Tim.

52c.

2s Tim . 3On.

29 Soph . 259a .

z o S y m p o s i u m 201-212.

8 1 Her e W h i t eh ead i s p r e sen t in g th e P l a to n ic E r o s i n t e r m s o f h i s o wn co sm o lo g y . See

A d v e n t u r e s o f I d e a s pp. 230, 357.


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a s l e e p a n d a w a k e - - u n t i l y o u c o n s i d e r th e n o t i o n t o t h e e n d . O u r p h y s i c a l i m p u l s e s a r e

e n t w i n e d w i t h o u r n a t u r e ; t h e s e x i m p u l s e s a r e t h e b a s i c s i d e o f o u r l o w e r n a t u r e .

F r e u d h a s m a d e t h is i n t o a p s y c h o l o g y . P l a t o m a k e s E r o s i n t o a l l t y p e s, f i n a ll y i n t o t h e

t y p e b y w h i c h y o u g e t t h e o r d e r o f t h e u n i v e rs e , t h e p e r f e c t i o n o f t h e I d e a l .

H o w h a s e v e r y t h i n g b e e n r e a li z e d ? I s t he u n i v e r s e o n l y g o in g a r o u n d a n d a r o u n d ?

H a s t h is p a r t i c u l a r l e c t u re , t h e se e x a c t c i r c u m s t a n c e s , b e e n r e p e a t e d f r o m a l l i n fi n it y ?

T h i s i s to m y m i n d a n i m p o s s i b l e vi e w . W h a t e v e r w e a r e , I s u g g e s t t h a t w e a r e r a t h e r

a u n i q u e l o t . T h i s c o m e s d o w n t o t h e v e r y q u e s t io n o f t h e M i d d l e A g e s , t h e p r o b l e m

o f U n i v e r s a l s . C o n s i d e r m a t h e m a t i c s . T a k e o n e m i l l i o n m u l t i p l i e d t o t h e p o w e r o f o n e

m i l l i o n ; t a k e t h e p r i m e n u m b e r i m m e d i a t e l y b e f o r e th i s r e s u l ti n g n u m b e r a n d t h e

p r i m e n u m b e r i m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r i t, m u l t i p l y th e s e t w o t o g e th e r , t h e n r a i s e t h e r e s u l t

t o t h e p o w e r o f o n e m i l l i o n . I v e n t u re t o s a y t h a t n o o n e e v e r t h o u g h t o f t h i s b e f o r e - -

y e t I d o n ' t c r e a t e t h e n u m b e r . I f I d o n ' t c r e a t e it , i f e v e r y t h i n g m u s t b e i n r e l a t i on

t o e v e r y t h in g e ls e , I d o n ' t s e e h o w y o u c a n r e a c h o u t a n d p u l l in s o m e t h i n g o u t o f

r e l a t i o n w i t h th e u n i v e r s e , l ik e th e n u m b e r w e j u s t t h o u g h t o f .

T h e b a s i c u r g e i n th e u n i v e rs e , t h a t c o n c e p t u a l e n t e r t a i n m e n t o f a l l p o s s i b i l i t i e s - -

t h i s , w i t h t h e e m o t i o n a l d r i v e t o w a r d s r e a l i z a t i o n , i s t h e b a s i c a b o r i g i n a l f a c t o f t h e

u n i v e r s e. I t i s h a n d i n g o u t a m e t a p h y s i c a l c o m p l i m e n t t o G o d t o s a y t h a t h e c a n

o n l y l o o k o n b e a u t i f u l F o r m s . P e o p l e l i k e t o t h i n k o f o n e d i v i n e e v e n t t o w a r d s w h i c h

t h e w o r l d m o v e s , t h a t i s , t h a t t h e r e i s o n e p e r f e c t r e a l i z a t i o n o f t h e w h o l e t h i n g . T h i s

i s o n t h e f a c e o f i t im p o s s i b l e . I n t h e w o r l d , i f y o u a r e t h i s y o u c a n ' t b e t h a t . A n d

i n t h i s a n d t h a t I d i s c e r n c e r t a i n i d e a l s o f c h a r a c t e r . A l l r e a l i z a t i o n i s f in i te , a n d

t h e w o r l d i s f in i t el y r e a l is i n g th e p o s s i b i l i t y w h i c h i t b e c o m e s G o d ' s n a t u r e t o c o n -

t e m p l a t e . T h e r e i s th i s fi n i te r e a l i s a t i o n , n o t j u s t o n e I d e a l ; t h e r e i s t h e b e a u t y o f t h e

w o r l d , t h e F o r m o f it s p a s s a g e , t ra n s i t i o n f r o m I d e a l t o I d e a l . C o m p a t i b l e i d e a ls m a y

b e r e a l iz e d , b u t n o t s i m u l t a n e o u s a n d i n c o m p a t i b l e i d e al s , a 2 T h e r e i s n o o n e f in a l

i d e a l .

s ~ S ee P r o ces s a n d R ea l i t y (New Yo rk , 1929) , p . 517 ; A d v e n t u r e s o ] I d e as pp. 356-357.

brennan - whitehead on plato´s cosmology

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