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Self-Mastery in Plato University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations 2019 Self-Mastery In Plato Brian Reese University of Pennsylvania Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations Part of the Ethics and Political Philosophy Commons, Metaphysics Commons, and the Psychology Commons Recommended Citation Reese, Brian, "Self-Mastery In Plato" (2019). Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations. 3653. https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/3653 This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/3653 For more information, please contact [email protected]. Self-Mastery In Plato Abstract This dissertation addresses an interpretive puzzle involving Plato’s apparently incompatible accounts of psychic conflict. I argue that a better understanding of the soul helps to resolve this puzzle, and that we can properly understand Plato’s conception of the soul by focusing on his account of self-mastery (τὸ κρείττω ἑαυτοῦ). Self-mastery is a concept well-suited to this project because it is treated consistently across Plato’s dialogues and features centrally in discussions of psychic conflict. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Philosophy First Advisor Susan . Meyer Subject Categories Ethics and Political Philosophy | Metaphysics | Psychology This dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/3653 SELF-MASTERY IN PLATO Brian Reese A DISSERTATION in Philosophy Presented to the Faculties of the University of Pennsylvania in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2019 Supervisor of Dissertation _________________ Susan Sauvé Meyer Professor of Philosophy, University of Pennsylvania Graduate Group Chairperson _________________ Errol Lord Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Pennsylvania Dissertation Committee Charles Kahn, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, University of Pennsylvania Errol Lord, Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Pennsylvania Rachel Singpurwalla, Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Maryland SELF-MASTERY IN PLATO COPYRIGHT 2019 Brian Alexander Reese For my mom, whose unconditional love has nurtured and continues to sustain what is best in me. iii ABSTRACT SELF-MASTERY IN PLATO Brian Reese Susan Sauvé Meyer This dissertation addresses an interpretive puzzle involving Plato’s apparently incompatible accounts of psychic conflict. I argue that a better understanding of the soul helps to resolve this puzzle, and that we can properly understand Plato’s conception of the soul by focusing on his account of self-mastery (τὸ κρείττω ἑαυτοῦ). Self-mastery is a concept well-suited to this project because it is treated consistently across Plato’s dialogues and features centrally in discussions of psychic conflict. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT...........................................................................................................................i v INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction.............................................................................................................. 1 1. The Debate......................................................................................................... 3 2. Chronology........................................................................................................ 4 3. Overview............................................................................................................ 7 CHAPTER ONE: SELF-MASTERY & PSYCHIC CONFLICT................................................. 10 Introduction............................................................................................................ 10 1. The Protagoras................................................................................................ 12 2. The Phaedo...................................................................................................... 20 2.1. Soul & Body............................................................................................. 20 2.2. Disembodiment & Embodiment............................................................... 22 2.3. Conflict..................................................................................................... 25 2.4. Soul & Self............................................................................................... 27 3. The Republic.................................................................................................... 29 3.1. Soul Partitioning....................................................................................... 29 3.2. Appearance & Reality............................................................................... 30 3.3. Leontius Revisited.................................................................................... 33 3.4. When Knowledge Rules........................................................................... 35 3.5. Immortality Revisited............................................................................... 37 CHAPTER TWO: SELF-MASTERY & APOTHEOSIS IN THE TIMAEUS................................ 41 Introduction............................................................................................................ 41 1. Epistemology & Ontology…........................................................................... 43 1.1. A Consistent Account............................................................................... 46 1.2. Craftsmanship........................................................................................... 48 2. Nous as Intellect............................................................................................... 50 2.1. The Motion of Intellect............................................................................. 52 3. The Soul........................................................................................................... 54 3.1. The Human Soul....................................................................................... 57 4. Becoming like God.......................................................................................... 63 v CHAPTER THREE: SELF-MASTERY & MODERATION IN THE LAWS................................ 70 Introduction............................................................................................................ 70 1. Self-Mastery & Conflict.................................................................................. 72 2. The Puppets Passage........................................................................................ 74 2.1. Conflict & Harmony: Interpretive Horns................................................. 76 2.2. Conflict & Harmony: Splitting the Horns................................................ 79 2.3. Toward a Satisfactory Resolution............................................................. 81 3. Self-Mastery and Moderation.......................................................................... 82 3.1. Moderation: Necessary or Sufficient for Virtue?..................................... 83 3.2. Two Kinds of Moderation........................................................................ 84 4. Two Kinds of Virtue........................................................................................ 87 4.1. A Tantalizing Suggestion......................................................................... 90 5. Natural Rulers: Knowledge, Intellect & Soul.................................................. 92 5.1. Soul as Ruler............................................................................................. 94 6. Who Are We?.................................................................................................. 97 7. Looking Ahead: Unity of the Virtues.............................................................. 98 CHAPTER FOUR: SELF-MASTERY, SELF-KNOWLEDGE & VIRTUE............................... 102 Introduction.......................................................................................................... 102 1. Virtue in the Protagoras................................................................................ 103 2. Moderation & Wisdom.................................................................................. 106 3. Being & Becoming Virtuous......................................................................... 110 4. Self-Knowledge & Moderation......................................................................115 5. Courage & Wisdom....................................................................................... 120 6. Virtue is Knowledge...................................................................................... 122 7. Can Virtue be Taught?................................................................................... 126 7.1. Answering the Question......................................................................... 127 7.2. Censuring Protagoras.............................................................................. 130 7.3. The Role of Education............................................................................ 132 CONCLUSION................................................................................................................... 136 Introduction.......................................................................................................... 136 1.
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