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Where does everything come from? Where do we get the idea of perfection?

Where does everything come from? Where do we get the idea of perfection?. Plato: An Idealist Answering Thales Problem. Seeking a Unified Field Theory to Explain Everything. Plato 427-347BC. Born in Athens Aristocratic family related to Solon Committed to public service and democracy

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Where does everything come from? Where do we get the idea of perfection?

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  1. Where does everything come from?Where do we get the idea of perfection?

  2. Plato: An Idealist Answering Thales Problem Seeking a Unified Field Theory to Explain Everything

  3. Plato 427-347BC • Born in Athens • Aristocratic family • related to Solon • Committed to public service and democracy • Rec’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

  4. “Plato” the Wrestler!!! • Real name: “Aristocles” • “Plato” means “broad” given him by his wrestling coach as a young man • For his face, shoulders or style

  5. Plato and his Mentor, Socrates • At age 20 • At age 29 saw the new Athenian democratic government put Socrates on trial • At Socrates’ side when he drank hemlock • Most reliable source of Socrates’ life and ideas. • Most widely read Greek until Late Middle Ages.

  6. Plato’s Theory of Forms And … Thales’ Problem • Premise: Thales’ answer did not include everything in the intangible world • Material stuff changes and erodes • Unchanging is the timeless ideas or molds

  7. 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 reason • They are ideas of perfection, justice, goodness, beauty • We don’t see perfection in this in this world…

  8. True Reality is in the realm of Idea • It is immaterial and eternal and unchanging • One cannot obtain true knowledge through the senses • Physical world is a reflection of reality but not reality itself • The world of senses is transitory and subject to opinion via the senses

  9. How do we locate reality? • A rationalist approach • Dialectical discussions of ideas • Push each idea, probe, question • Locate errors and adjust thinking …This sounds like someone else we know…

  10. Man is a dual creature • Realm of forms “a circle” • Realm of senses circle We are not born tabular rasa; we have latent knowledge of the realm of forms – we recognize types in this world because of inbred knowledge of forms…

  11. What is Teleology?And what does Plato say about it? What is True Knowledge?

  12. 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 spark • Socratic Dialogue

  13. 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)

  14. The Republic: 2 Ways to Read it Hard interpretation: • Politics and good government • A treatise on JUSTICE Soft interpretation: • Psychology and a good self • A treatise on MORALITY & WELL-BEING

  15. What are the Teleological ends of the parts of our being? • Reason/Intellect • Will - thymos • “Passionate part” • Appetite • “Desireous part” • Wisdom • Courage • Temperance HEAD CHEST ABDOMEN A Just person: architectonic= IN BALANCE, in proportion = morally virtuous person The Ideal is unchanging Single and uniform, in balance Man assimilates into the Ideal or God Evil is a result of lack of understanding

  16. Ideal Man, Ideal Society… • Wisdom • Courage • Temperance Governed by reason, not untested opinions • Philosopher Kings • Or Guardians • Formulate ideas • Warriors • Or Auxiliaries • Irrational part in service to guardians • procreate • Producers Task of Republic is to show that morality is the basis of happiness/ That anyone with the balance of virtues is happiest

  17. 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

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