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Theory of Forms 1 Theory of Forms
Theory of Forms 1 Theory of Forms Plato's theory of Forms or theory of Ideas[1] [2] [3] asserts that non-material abstract (but substantial) forms (or ideas), and not the material world of change known to us through sensation, possess the highest and most fundamental kind of reality.[4] When used in this sense, the word form is often capitalized.[5] Plato speaks of these entities only through the characters (primarily Socrates) of his dialogues who sometimes suggest that these Forms are the only true objects of study that can provide us with genuine knowledge; thus even apart from the very controversial status of the theory, Plato's own views are much in doubt.[6] Plato spoke of Forms in formulating a possible solution to the problem of universals. Forms Terminology: the Forms and the forms The English word "form" may be used to translate two distinct concepts that concerned Plato—the outward "form" or appearance of something, and "Form" in a new, technical nature, that never ...assumes a form like that of any of the things which enter into her; ... But the forms which enter into and go out of her are the likenesses of real existences modelled after their patterns in a wonderful and inexplicable manner.... The objects that are seen, according to Plato, are not real, but literally mimic the real Forms. In the allegory of the cave expressed in Republic, the things that are ordinarily perceived in the world are characterized as shadows of the real things, which are not perceived directly. That which the observer understands when he views the world mimics the archetypes of the many types and properties (that is, of universals) of things observed. -
Can God's Goodness Save the Divine Command Theory
CAN GOD’S GOODNESS SAVE THE DIVINE COMMAND THEORY FROM EUTHYPHRO? JEREMY KOONS Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar Abstract. Recent defenders of the divine command theory like Adams and Alston have confronted the Euthyphro dilemma by arguing that although God’s commands make right actions right, God is morally perfect and hence would never issue unjust or immoral commandments. On their view, God’s nature is the standard of moral goodness, and God’s commands are the source of all obligation. I argue that this view of divine goodness fails because it strips God’s nature of any features that would make His goodness intelligible. An adequate solution to the Euthyphro dilemma may require that God be constrained by a standard of goodness that is external to Himself – itself a problematic proposal for many theists. The Euthyphro dilemma is often thought to present a fatal problem for the divine command theory (aka theological voluntarism). Are right acts commanded by God because they are right, or are they right because they are commanded by God? If the former, then there is a standard of right and wrong independent of God’s commands; God’s commands are not relevant in determining the content of morality. This option seems to compromise God’s sovereignty in an important way. But the second horn of the dilemma presents seemingly insurmountable problems, as well. First, if God’s commands make right actions right, and there is no standard of morality independent of God’s commands, then that seems to make morality arbitrary. Thus, murder is not wrong because it harms someone unjustly, but merely because God forbids it; there is (it seems) no good connection between reason and the wrongness of murder. -
A Map of Crito (ΚΡΙΤΩΝ)
ΠΛΑΤΩΝ | Plato: Four Dialogues Handout 8 A Map of Crito (ΚΡΙΤΩΝ) 43a–44b After the trial, Socrates’s (wealthy; see Apology 38b) friend Crito visits him in prison. He brings news of his imminent execution. 44b–46a Crito tries to persuade Socrates to escape. Reason 1. The common people (οἱ πολλοὶ, hoi polloi) will think Crito let Socrates down, so the friends’ reputation will be damaged, with bad individual con- sequences. Reason 2. Money is not an issue. Reason 3. Socrates would be welcome abroad. Reason 4. Socrates complies with his enemies; he throws away his life. Reason 5. Socrates irresponsibly betrays his duty to his sons. Reason 6. Socrates is a coward. 46b–50a Socrates replies. To Reason 1: not all opinions have the same value. We should listen to the experts and the wise: the qualified. What matters in the present predicament is the expert on justice, for the question is whether it would be just for Socrates to abscond. Socrates reminds Crito that what is relevant is not merely a life, but a good life, or a well-lived life (τὸ εὖ ζῆν, to eu zên); and the good life is the just life. Socrates also reminds Crito of the long-held belief that one should never (willingly or intentionally) do an injustice (οὐδαμῶς δεῖ ἀδικεῖν, oudamôs dei adikein), and this entails that one should never do an injustice even if one is wronged, or somehow provoked (see Handout 6). Hence, the ‘established hypothesis’: non-retaliation. Doing injustice is doing harm and injury. Likewise for agreements or commitments (τις ὁμολογήσῃ, tis homologêsê): if they are just, one ought to fulfil them. -
Plato's Invisible Hero of Democracy: Socrates in the Republic and Crito
PLATO’S INVISIBLE HERO OF DEMOCRACY: SOCRATES IN THE REPUBLIC AND CRITO RICHARD J. KLONOSKI Abstract: The author argues that a careful reading of Republic VIII 557a- 558a, coupled with an analysis of the mythic backdrop to the conversation between Socrates and Crito in the Crito, reveals that Plato intends the reader to see Socrates as an invisible moral and political hero of the democratic polis even though Socrates was, for much of his life, a critic of the Athenian democracy, and even given the fact that Socrates doesn’t give democracy the highest standing among the political regimes in the Republic. The author discusses the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur and Hesiod’s races of man, in order to show that in the Republic and the Crito Socrates is portrayed as a hero, specifically one who supports democracy as the only regime in which philosophy and the philosopher can exist. Finally, the author argues that Socrates’ final act of heroism in the Crito is the act of remaining in prison, in large measure out of respect for the laws of Athens and its democratic legal procedures, a respect evident in the very structure of the conversation among Socrates, Crito, and the Athenian laws. It is suggested that the conversation in the Crito is indeed an imitation of a democratic legal procedure that would likely have been used to convict Socrates of a crime against the democracy were he to have followed Crito’s advice and escaped from prison. Keywords: Plato, Socrates, hero, democracy, Crito, Republic, Gorgias, Hesiod, Theseus In Book VIII of the Republic, in the course of the degeneration of the regimes, the democracy comes into being [557a ff]. -
Law, Philosophy, and Civil Disobedience: the Laws' Speech In
Ouachita Baptist University Scholarly Commons @ Ouachita Articles Faculty Publications 2012 Law, Philosophy, and Civil Disobedience: The Laws' Speech in Plato's 'Crito' Steven Thomason Ouachita Baptist University, Department of Political Science, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarlycommons.obu.edu/articles Part of the Ancient Philosophy Commons, Ethics and Political Philosophy Commons, and the Law and Philosophy Commons Recommended Citation Thomason, Steven, "Law, Philosophy, and Civil Disobedience: The Laws' Speech in Plato's 'Crito'" (2012). Articles. 61. https://scholarlycommons.obu.edu/articles/61 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Faculty Publications at Scholarly Commons @ Ouachita. It has been accepted for inclusion in Articles by an authorized administrator of Scholarly Commons @ Ouachita. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Law, Philosophy, and Civil Disobedience: The Laws’ Speech in Plato’s Crito Steven Thomason Ouachita Baptist University Plato’s Crito is an examination of the tension between political science, a life devoted to the rational discourse and critique of politics, and the demands of allegiance and service to the city. The argument Socrates makes in the name of the laws is not just meant to persuade Crito. Rather, it is a philosophic defense of the city itself, the philosophic response to Socrates’ own speech in the Apology defending philosophy. This speech reveals the dangers and problems of a life devoted to philosophy when reason is directed to politics and calls into question the values and way of life of the city. Introduction The United States has a long history of civil disobedience being, as it were, a nation founded on the overthrow of unjust laws, e.g. -
Plato's Epistemology
Plato’s Epistemology: a Coherent Account in Meno , Phaedo and Theaetetus Chuanjie Sheng Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Leeds Department of Classics August 2015 II The candidate confirms that the work submitted is his own and that appropriate credit has been given where reference has been made to the work of others. This copy has been supplied on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. © 2015 The University of Leeds and Chuanjie Sheng The right of Chuanjie Sheng to be identified as Author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. III Acknowledgements I appreciate all the persons that helped me to complete this thesis. I would like to express my greatest gratitude to my supervisors, Dr. Elizabeth E. Pender and Professor Malcolm F. Heath. As an enlightened teacher, Dr. Pender has offered me valuable comments and suggestions for my dissertation. Working with her is a stimulating intellectual experience. She patiently suggested on the structure of my thesis and corrected all the chapters line by line. As a wonderful friend, she brings happiness, pleasure and fruitful experience into my life in Leeds. Professor Heath has read all the chapters of my thesis and has given me feedbacks on each of the chapters. During the supervisions, he has given me valuable academic advice and comments, which has saved me from a large number of mistakes and errors in this dissertation. -
What Euthyphro Couldn't Have Said
View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Asbury Theological Seminary Faith and Philosophy: Journal of the Society of Christian Philosophers Volume 4 Issue 3 Article 1 7-1-1987 What Euthyphro Couldn't Have Said James G. Hanink Gary R. Mar Follow this and additional works at: https://place.asburyseminary.edu/faithandphilosophy Recommended Citation Hanink, James G. and Mar, Gary R. (1987) "What Euthyphro Couldn't Have Said," Faith and Philosophy: Journal of the Society of Christian Philosophers: Vol. 4 : Iss. 3 , Article 1. Available at: https://place.asburyseminary.edu/faithandphilosophy/vol4/iss3/1 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at ePLACE: preserving, learning, and creative exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faith and Philosophy: Journal of the Society of Christian Philosophers by an authorized editor of ePLACE: preserving, learning, and creative exchange. WHAT EUTHYPHRO COULDN'T HAVE SAID James G. Hanink and Gary R. Mar In this paper we argue for a simple version of Divine Command Morality, namely that an act's being morally right consists in its being in accord with God's will, and an act's being morally wrong consists in its being contrary to God's will. In so arguing, we contend that this simple version of Divine Command Morality is not subject to the Euthyphro dilemma, either as Plato or as contemporary critics have ordinarily proposed it. Nor, we maintain, is our position incompatible with the most adequate formulation of natural law ethics. -
The Meno by Plato
MENO By Plato Translated by Lee Perlman The bold numbers and letters are universal ‘stephanus’ page numbers, which provide a common reference between different translations PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE: Meno, Socrates, A Slave of Meno (Boy), Anytus. 70 MENO: Can you tell me1, Socrates, whether aretê is something that can be taught; or if not through teaching, through practice, or if neither by practice nor through learning, does it accrue to humans by nature, or in some other way? SOCRATES: Meno, the Thessalians used to be held in high repute and marveled B at among the Greeks for their horsemanship and their riches, but now, it seems to me, also for wisdom, not least the citizens of Larissa, the city of your companion Aristippus. The cause of this is Gorgias. For he came to the city and made the foremost of the Aleuadae lovers of his wisdom, among them your lover2 Aristippus, as well as the other Thessalians. And he accustomed you to the habit C of answering any question asked of you fearlessly and magnificently, exactly like those who know; just as he himself stands ready for any question a Greek wishes to ask, and never fails to answer. But in this region, dear Meno, the opposite has come to pass. There 1 Exeis moi epein means literally ‘Do you have it to tell me?” There is some reason to think that Plato played with the conventions of the epic tradition, in which the first word set the theme for the entire poem. Here, this would suggest that the question of whether knowledge is a kind of ‘having’ or possession is central to the Meno. -
Plato's 'Republic'
Plato’s Republic Plato’s Republic An Introduction An Introduction SEAN MCALEER SEAN MCALEER S EAN M This book is a lucid and accessible companion to Plato’s Republic, throwing light C A upon the text’s arguments and main themes, placing them in the wider context LEER of the text’s structure. In its illumina� on of the philosophical ideas underpinning the work, it provides readers with an understanding and apprecia� on of the P complexity and literary ar� stry of Plato’s Republic. McAleer not only unpacks the key overarching ques� ons of the text – What is justi ce? And Is a just life happier than an unjust life? – but also highlights some fascina� ng, overlooked passages which contribute to our understanding of Plato’s philosophical thought. Plato’s ‘Republic’: An Introducti on off ers a rigorous and thought-provoking analysis of the text, helping readers navigate one of the world’s most infl uen� al works of LATO philosophy and poli� cal theory. With its approachable tone and clear presenta� on, it cons� tutes a welcome contribu� on to the fi eld, and will be an indispensable ’ S resource for philosophy students and teachers, as well as general readers new to, or returning to, the text. R EPUBLIC As with all Open Book publica� ons, this en� re book is available to read for free on the publisher’s website. Printed and digital edi� ons, together with supplementary digital material, can also be found at www.openbookpublishers.com Cover image: Anselm Feuerbach’s The Symposium (1871-1874). -
The Theaetetus Is a Dialogue Full of Puzzles, Not the Least of Which Is the Character of Socrates Himself
Portrait of a Philosopher: Defining Philosophy and Philosophers in the Theaetetus Harper Lyon Union College The Theaetetus is a dialogue full of puzzles, not the least of which is the character of Socrates himself. While often considered the face of wisdom and knowledge in all of Plato’s works, in this work Socrates constantly proposes bad arguments, goes on long tangents, and leaves us with no definition of knowledge. If Socrates himself cannot be relied on, how can anyone hope to effectively do philosophy? Furthermore, if Socrates is not a proper philosopher himself, is there even one present in the dialogue? I argue that by examining three different ways of practicing philosophy in the Theaetetus, Socrates is shown to represent a single specific faculty of the philosopher, therefore practicing only one part of philosophy, explaining his shortcomings and thereby intimating a more robust platonic philosophical method. Part 1: The Philosopher of the Digression In what is roughly the middle of the Theaetetus, Socrates briefly changes both topic and interlocutor to enter a section called the digression. In this digression we find a detailed description of the philosopher. Framed as a discussion between Theodorus and Socrates on the difference between a statesman or lawyer and a philosopher, the digression seeks to answer questions about the wisdom of philosophers, primarily to explain why they seem foolish or useless to non-philosophers. Socrates answers by exploring the differences between two types of people: the statesmen who are raised in the courts (often referred to as “slaves” of the court) who focus their intellectual efforts on persuading a judge or tribunal to a specific view (172d-e), and the philosophers who care only for the truth and are willing to push their reasoning and discussion towards it at all costs (173c). -
The Republic of Plato
THE REPUBLIC OF PLATO 'I'IlANSLATBD WInI INTJtODUCTlON AND NOTES BY FRANCIS MACDONALD CORNFORD LrrrD., F.B.A. Fellow of Trinity CoI1ege, Cambric:Igc OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS LONDON OXFORD NEW YORK OXFORD UN IVERSITY PRESS Oxford london New York Glasgow Toronto Melbourne Wellington Cape Town Salisbury Ibadan Nairobi lusaka Addis Ababa Bombay Calcutta Madras Karachi lahore Dacca Kuala lumpur Hong Kong Tokyo First published by Oxford University Press, london, 1941 First issued as an Oxford University Press paperback, 1945 This reprint, 1970-3 Printed in the United States of America CONTENTS Page xv PART I (Book I). SOME CURRENT VIEWS OF JUSTICE CHAP. I (i. 32?-33I D). Cephalus. Justice as Honesty in word and darl 2 II (331 E-336 A). Polemarchus. Justice as Helping Friends and Harming Enemies • 7 III (336 B-347 E). Thrasymachus. Justice as the Interest of the Stronger 14 IV (347 E-354 c). Thrasymachus. Is Injustice more profitable than Justice? 30 PART II (Books II-IV, 445 B). JUSTICE IN THE STATE AND IN THE INDIVIDUAL V (ii. 357 A-367 E). The Problem stated 41 VI (367 E-372 A). The Rudiments of Social Organization 53 VII (372 A-374 E). The Luxurious State 59 VIII (375 A-376 E). The Guardian's Temperament 63 IX (376 E-iii. 412 B). Primary Education of the Guardians 66 § 1 (376 E-iii. 392 c). Censorship of Literature for School Use 67 § 2 (392 c-398 B). The Influence of Dramatic Recitation 80 § 3 (398 c-4°O c). Musical Accompaniment and Metre 85 § 4 ("00 c-403 c). -
Culture and Society in Plato's Republic
Culture and Society in Plato’s Republic M. F. BURNYEAT THE TANNER LECTURES ON HUMAN VALUES Delivered at Harvard University December 10-12, 1997 M. F. BURNYEAT is Senior Research Fellow in Philosophy at All Souls College, Oxford. He was educated at King’s College, Cambridge, and the University College, London. He was for many years the Laurence Professor of Ancient Philosophy at Cambridge University, and has been a visit- ing professor at numerous universities, including Harvard, Cornell, Princeton, and the University of Chicago. He is a fellow of the British Academy, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, a member of the Institut Interna- tional de Philosophie, and a foreign honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is the author of nearly fifty published articles, has been editor or coeditor of such volumes as Doubt and Dogmatism (1980, edited with Malcolm Schofield and Jonathan Barnes) ; The Skeptical Tradition (1983) ; and The Original Sceptics: A Controversy (1997, edited with Michael Frede). He is also the author of The Theaetetus of Plato (1990). In memoriam J. C. W. Reith ( 1889-1971)1 LECTURE I. COUCHES, SONG, AND CIVIC TRADITION THE TOTAL CULTURE: MATERIAL, MORAL, MUSICAL Imagine, if you please, a stormy night in the North Sea. It is around 3:00 A.M. The first lieutenant is on watch on the bridge, his jaw jutting out firmly to defy wind, rain, and sea. Midshipman Burnyeat, being wholly untrained in the arts of navigation and seamanship, has nothing to do but make cup after cup of the navy’s peculiarly strong recipe for cocoa.