Plato: Works and Contributions
The Ancient Greeks have been credited with many contributions to society throughout history. From Science to Art and Literature, the Greeks have heavily influenced some of the cultures that later followed such as the Romans in the 700’s. Out of these contributions non other was more influential to modern times than Philosophy. The Greek word “Philosophy”, the study of ideas about knowledge, truth, the nature and meaning of life (Webster). Western Philosophy as we know it today was studied by many such as Anaximander and Hippocrates and even Socrates, who taught to use systematic questioning to explain the truths of the universe by teaching his students to take nothing for granted. It was his student Plato whom
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Plato took up philosophy at an early age and by the time he had made acquaintance with Socrates had become familiar with the doctrine. (Jowett 7)
Under the tutelage of Socrates, Plato learned the Socratic Method or new way of looking at and thinking when it came to the world and nature. After Socrates, death in 399 B.C, Plato would go on to take the lectures and teachings form his mentor and put them into literal writings. Plato had many works known as “Dialogues” during this era. Even though many have been credited to him, “only thirty-six of his dialogues have been considered genuine by librarians and scholars “. (Taylor 11)
Out of these works no other stand out as much as “The Republic”. The Republic, Plato’s most famous dialogue covers a lecture narrated by Socrates on the state of government in Greece. The dialogue covers two main questions, “What is the meaning of justice” and “Does Justice equal Happiness?” (Plato
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The other three were Wisdom, Courage and Moderation. The Republic also addressed issues of society such as the role of women and laws which would also be addressed further in a Dialogue known as Laws. (Jowett 313)
The Academy Another contribution that Plato made to the world of Philosophy was the very first European center of philosophy known as the Academy. Founded between 388 and389 B.C, Academy is famous for the place where Plato taught, but as a place of education and training, it existed before him. The name Academy was said to be taken from the legendary founder Hekademos. (Barber 182)
The Academy started as more of an informal center of education as it was designed as a place outside of the walls of Athens where philosophers could get together and discuss doctrine. (Taylor 9)
Here, Plato taught on politics concerning government, laws and the commonwealth of the people. The founding of the institution demonstrated one of the differences between Plato’s mentor Socrates and himself. Socrates believed that fundamental knowledge was solely founded on one’s inner reflection of self and could not be taught to another. This could be one of the main contributing factors of no formal school or institution being founded by Socrates before his death. (Johnson
Although these questions remain somewhat rhetorical, their answers can be conceived by referring to the principles in Plato's Republic. The concepts brought about in the Republic seem to relate directly to events and people that lived before the completion of this book. Moreover, those events and people exemplify the various aspects of education, justice, and democracy that Plato articulates through his character Socrates. A question that plagues many historians today is that if Plato had written the Republic before these events occurred, would they have taken the same course?
However that was not the only thing that could be seen clearly through this conversation he wrote. Also in bedded in this dialogue was Socrates teachings. Plato expresses Socrates habits of searching “every corner of the city,” to find answers to his unending questions. The Republic allows the reader to see how Plato was able to use his knowledge to extend the discussion of Western Political Thought. As tradition follows, Plato’s student Aristotle also learned and developed what his tutor taught him. Aristotle was the third of the most infamous philosophers who _____. His ideas were captured in a collection of essays titled Politics. However, this time he would even question the original Greek belief that Democracy was the best way to govern correctly and fairly. Just as Plato believed Aristotle knew that tyranny ruled through, “private interest” as he
Through time there have been a number of great philosophers, John Locke, Rene Descartes, Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates, that positively impacted and changed the world’s way of thinking. Plato lived from about 428 BC until 347 BC in which he wrote over twenty six dialogues, including the Apology, Crito, and Euthyphro (Source 2). Socrates introduced ethics, the study of what people should do, instead of analyzing what people do like the other philosophers of that time period (Source 4). Socrates did not believe he was a teacher to anyone, therefore it is said Plato studied with Socrates for about ten years and was not a student of his (Source 2). Due to the fact there is no written record directly from Socrates, what is known about him comes primarily from Plato’s dialogues (Source 4). The Apology is Plato’s account of the dialect Socrates used to defend himself at his indictment trial and conviction.
Plato's Republic centers on a simple question: is it always better to be just than unjust? The Republic sustains reflections on political questions, as well. Not that ethics and politics exhaust the concerns of the Republic.
There appears to be an unnatural and unfounded fascination with the alleged “works” of Socrates. Perhaps that it is simply that the absolutist ideals of philosophers such as Plato and Socrates do not appeal to the post-modern, politically correct, wishy washy, materialistic reader. It is more likely, however, that the problems posed by the philosophy itself and its surrounding circumstances outweigh the insight and philosophical ingenuity.
The Republic is considered to be one of Plato’s most storied legacies. Plato recorded many different philosophical ideals in his writings. Addressing a wide variety of topics from justice in book one, to knowledge, enlightenment, and the senses as he does in book seven. In his seventh book, when discussing the concept of knowledge, he virtually addresses the cliché “seeing is believing”, while attempting to validate the roots of our knowledge. By his use of philosophical themes, Plato is able to further his points on enlightenment, knowledge, and education.
The subject matter of the “Republic” is the nature of justice and its relation to human existence. Book I of the “republic” contains a critical examination of the nature and virtue of justice. Socrates engages in a dialectic with Thrasymachus, Polemarchus, and Cephalus, a method which leads to the asking and answering of questions which directs to a logical refutation and thus leading to a convincing argument of the true nature of justice. And that is the main function of Book I, to clear the ground of mistaken or inadequate accounts of justice in order to make room for the new theory. Socrates attempts to show that certain beliefs and attitudes of justice and its nature are inadequate or inconsistent, and present a way in which those views about justice are to be overcome.
In the Plato’s Republic mainly discuses the idea of what justice is. The answer to this question has a variety of answers according to the Republic, which makes it very interesting. Throughout this book, you will be driven in many directions of what justice is. Some may the answer is to primarily is doing the right thing. The main issue comes from about is whether to try and be just at the expense of staying poor, or lie, or even use the very unjust means to get what one wants in life. The main point of the book is a man who tries to be very just, may spend life wandering in the streets in search for money, while the man who lies to get their way, will be rich. This essay looks at the Thrasymachus’s concept of and the Socrates’s concept of justice. The essay also looks at the author thinks that the unjust man will be happier that the just man. It explores the reasons why the concepts are right or wrong.
The citizens of Socrates’ Republic are divided into three classes. Those who are deemed fit to rule, the philosopher/rulers, are those who have been chosen to pass through several stages of training and preparation. They are the most fit to rule, because the...
Plato, a student of Socrates, followed in his teachings. After returning to Athens, he founded The Academy, considered by some to be the world’s first university. In Plato’s philosophy the human soul has three parts: intellect, spirit, and appetite. He felt that these three aspects interacted to determine human behavior. He urged that intellect be trained to control spirit and appetite.
Plato started his teachings in remembrance of his good friend, Socrates. After his death he traveled back to Italy and studied under Pythagoras. Some years later he began "The Academy". Much of the curriculum taught was dedicated to the teachings of Socrates. During this time he began to write down his thoughts about politics and development of a regime. Developing different aspects than Socrates'.
Nails, Debra, N. (2005, September 16). Socrates. Stanford University. Retrieved November 11, 2013, from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/socrates/
Early thought processes concerning education laid the groundwork for the modern philosophy of education, including university structures and frameworks. What our ancients have advocated is said to be the cause of every century’s success in continually gaining knowledge. But Plato and Aristotle had very different opinions when it came to the education branch of life.
Philosophy can be defined as the pursuit of wisdom or the love of knowledge. Socrates, as one of the most well-known of the early philosophers, epitomizes the idea of a pursuer of wisdom as he travels about Athens searching for the true meaning of the word. Throughout Plato’s early writings, he and Socrates search for meanings of previously undefined concepts, such as truth, wisdom, and beauty. As Socrates is often used as a mouthpiece for Plato’s ideas about the world, one cannot be sure that they had the same agenda, but it seems as though they would both agree that dialogue was the best way to go about obtaining the definitions they sought. If two people begin on common ground in a conversation, as Socrates often tries to do, they are far more likely to be able to civilly come to a conclusion about a particular topic, or at least further their original concept.
i. Plato’s Academy was one of the well- known Greek academies that existed sometime around 387 B.C.