where does everything come from? where do we get the idea of perfection?
TRANSCRIPT
Where does everything come from?
Where do we get the idea of perfection?
Seeking a Unified Field Theory to Explain Everything
Plato 427-347BCBorn in AthensAristocratic family
related to Solon Committed to public
service and democracyRec’d best education
Fascinated with politics Saw fall of Athens after war
with Sparta Saw temp. oligarchic govt.
imposed by Sparta Then, return of democracy
“Plato” the Wrestler!!!
Real name: “Aristocles”
“Plato” means “broad” given him by his wrestling coach as a young manFor his face,
shoulders or style
Plato and his Mentor, SocratesAt age 20At age 29 saw the new
Athenian democratic government put Socrates on trialAt Socrates’ side when
he drank hemlock
Most reliable source of Socrates’ life and ideas.
Most widely read Greek until Late Middle Ages.
Plato’s Theory of FormsAnd … Thales’ Problem
Premise: Thales’ answer did not include everything in the intangible world
1. Material stuff changes and erodes 2. Unchanging is the timeless ideas or
molds
Plato’s Theory of Forms
These molds exist in intangible realm of ideas
These molds Plato called “forms”We relate to these intangible “forms” through
our reasonThey are ideas of perfection, justice, goodness,
beautyWe don’t see perfection in this in this world…
True Reality is in the realm of Idea
It is immaterial and eternal and unchanging
One cannot obtain true knowledge through the sensesPhysical world is a reflection of reality but not
reality itselfThe world of senses is transitory and subject to
opinion via the senses
How do we locate reality?A rationalist approach
Dialectical discussions of ideas Push each idea, probe, questionLocate errors and adjust thinking
…This sounds like someone else we know…
Man is a dual creatureRealm of forms
“a circle”
Realm of sensescircleWe are not born tabular rasa;
we have latent knowledge of the realm of forms – we recognize types in this world because of inbredknowledge of forms…
What is Teleology?And what does Plato say about it?
What is True Knowledge?
If Attaining Knowledge of the Good is the Purpose of Man, then…
All people can access it, in varying degrees perhaps…Enables common ethics
It’s accessed through reason, the divine sparkSocratic Dialogue
How do we make a just society?“Mankind will not get rid of its evils until either the class of those who philosophize in truth and rectitude reach political power or those most powerful in cities, under some divine dispensation, really get to philosophizing."
( Plato - VIIth Letter, 326a-b)
The Republic: 2 Ways to Read itHard interpretation:
Politics and good government A treatise on JUSTICE
Soft interpretation: Psychology and a good self
A treatise on MORALITY & WELL-BEING
What are the Teleological ends of the parts of our being? Reason/Intellect
Will - thymos “Passionate part”
Appetite “Desireous part”
WisdomWisdom
CourageCourage
TemperanceTemperance
A Just person: architectonic= IN BALANCE, in proportion = morally virtuous person
Evil is a result of lack of understanding
The Ideal is unchangingSingle and uniform, in balanceMan assimilates into the Ideal or God
HEAD
CHEST
ABDOMEN
Ideal Man, Ideal Society…Philosopher
Kings Or Guardians Formulate
ideas
Warriors Or Auxiliaries
Irrational part in service to guardians
procreate
Producers
Governed by reason, not untested opinions
WisdomWisdom
CourageCourage
TemperanceTemperanceTask of Republic is to show that morality is the
basis of happiness/ That anyone with the balance of virtues is happiest
How About Women?“If women are expected to do the same work
as men, we must teach them the same things.” - Plato
See Theodore Dalyrymple essay, if time permits