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Plato view on human nature
Plato view on human nature
Plato the good life essay
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Plato: Attainment of Virtues
Attaining virtue is something that most philosophers did during their time. Philosophers employed a variety of definitions in order to define many of the issues their students and associates faced at different times. Philosophers like Plato and Socrates employed a quality approach that was to develop virtue in the minds and souls of their associates. The attaining virtue is the core subject that was to define the social, economic and political lives of the people. For example, attaining virtue in political democracy lead to the death of Socrates in the dialogue. After this, Socrates thinks about how the political rivals used poison to kill him for supporting a philosopher who was involved in politics. Plato said
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He argues upon the maxims of virtue with basis on ethics for humanity. Plato maintains that for one to attain strong virtues they must conform to general ethics and code of conducts. Th focus of moral virtues is to maintain the well-being of humanity. For the actualization of that aim, Plato maintains that conformity to moral dispositions, thought and virtues are important prerequisite in that drive. The aim is to illustrate that the maintenance of the well-being of human beings is the core of moral thinking and virtues. Plato argues for the conception of happiness as a virtue to promote peace and harmony among people of different backgrounds. However, the conception of happiness as a virtue is a counter-example to many of the thought Plato did argue for that promotes the attainment of human virtues. The reasons here are that the Plato’s argument on the conception of happiness does not conform to ordinary views that many people understand. In addition to that, the early artworks by Plato portray the conception of happiness as a negative path that bases only on metaphysical suppositions that are not easy to comprehend. Secondly, in his works as the Republic Plato portrays the virtue of happiness as only a feeling that depends on external factors hence, not easy o illustrate and even understand (Begum, & Awan, 2013). Plato presents a description for the good and best for the soul. That is the soul feels a sense of contentment when it exhibits the strongest virtues. However, these descriptions for the needs of the soul do not go together at all times as time influences everything that is valuable. For these reasons, the attainment of virtues is at the center of Plato’s arguments in all his artworks and presents a feeling of contentment for being of strong
Even today, Noble falsehood is a popular topic. On one hand, people are keen to talk how politicians use those well-intentional lies to achieve some incredible things. On the other hand, people accuse those politicians of divesting people’s right of choice making and intentionally hiding the truth. It seems that people have an alternative feeling towards falsehood. Thus, this essay is aim to discuss why and how in some cases falsehood is such a useful thing in politics, whereas in the others it is a contradiction in Plato’s political project.
In The Republic Plato argues that some women have the ability to become philosopher-Guardians. This idea during that time wasn’t viewed as a normal idea to spring upon, therefor Plato argues this statement through questionings and contradictions to justify this radical idea. He does so by summing up his ideas and thoughts through his theory of virtue.
According to Aristotle, a virtue is a state that makes something good, and in order for something to be good, it must fulfill its function well. The proper function of a human soul is to reason well. Aristotle says that there are two parts of the soul that correspond to different types of virtues: the appetitive part of the soul involves character virtues, while the rational part involves intellectual virtues. The character virtues allow one to deliberate and find the “golden mean” in a specific situation, while the intellectual virtues allow one to contemplate and seek the truth. A virtuous person is someone who maintains an appropriate balance of these two parts of the soul, which allows them to reason well in different types of situations.
Human Nature and Moral Theory in Plato’s Republic. In Chapter 2 of Republic, Glaucon uses the Myth of the Lydian Shepherd to portray a pessimistic view of human nature. Plato, the author of Republic, uses his brother Glaucon to tell the Myth of the Lydian Shepherd. We are led to believe that Plato takes the myth and its implications on human nature very seriously by using a personal character.
Simply defined, happiness is the state of being happy. But, what exactly does it mean to “be happy?” Repeatedly, many philosophers and ideologists have proposed ideas about what happiness means and how one attains happiness. In this paper, I will argue that Aristotle’s conception of happiness is driven more in the eye of ethics than John Stuart Mill. First, looking at Mill’s unprincipled version of happiness, I will criticize the imperfections of his definition in relation to ethics. Next, I plan to identify Aristotle’s core values for happiness. According to Aristotle, happiness comes from virtue, whereas Mill believes happiness comes from pleasure and the absence of pain. Ethics are the moral principles that govern a person’s behavior which are driven by virtues - good traits of character. Thus, Aristotle focuses on three things, which I will outline in order to answer the question, “what does it mean to live a good life?” The first of which is the number one good in life is happiness. Secondly, there is a difference between moral virtues and intellectual virtues and lastly, leading a good life is a state of character. Personally and widely accepted, happiness is believed to be a true defining factor on leading a well intentioned, rational, and satisfactory life. However, it is important to note the ways in which one achieves their happiness, through the people and experiences to reach that state of being. In consequence, Aristotle’s focus on happiness presents a more arguable notion of “good character” and “rational.”
A just life in a just society would be the happiest possible way to live for Plato. Justice is defined as a balanced and well-integrated specialization of functions both within the scope of society and the individual. The just society classifies its members on the basis of individual differences in intellectual and physical abilities and is therefore warranted. The way to achieve a happy life is only half satisfied with the presence of a just society. Other than living in a just society, the harmony between the parts within an individual's mind or soul is as important. The psyche contains three elements: wisdom, spirit, and appetite. The wisdom in a person, similarly to the role of the rulers in society, ought to be in command of the individual, and working in harmony with the spirit and the appetite, to achieve happiness. This is so because only the mind has the ability to reason and potentially achieve intelligence, which is the form of the Good -- the ultimate source of happiness.
Plato’s theory of happiness is analysed throughout the Republic. He believes as Socrates did that the virtues of courage, temperance, wisdom and justice and the ability to regulate them with harmony is the key to an authentically happy person. The virtue of justice is of particular interest and what its function is in a truly just person and how that relates to happiness. Who is happiest the truly just person destined to be shackled with all the perils of the unjust, or the truly unjust person destined to lead the enriching life of a just person? Plato analyzes justice in terms of the tripartite city first. The idea here is that it is easier to interpret a quality if it is in context of a larger whole. The society being the whole of a person which makes up its parts. If you can define justice based on a truly just city then you could apply this to the person more easily.
In his several dialogues, Plato contends the importance of the four virtues: wisdom, courage, self-control, and justice. In The Republic, he describes a top-down hierarchy that correlates to the aspects of one’s soul. Wisdom, courage, and temperance preside control over the rational, spirited, and appetitive aspects of the soul. It is when one maintains a balance between these aspects of his soul that he attains peace within himself: “...And when he has bound together the three principles within him...he proceeds to act...always thinking and calling that which preserves and cooperates with this harmonious condition (Plato 443c).” Wisdom and knowledge consistently remain at the top of his view of happiness. During the apology, Plato is asked what punishment is best suited for him. He sarcastically answers, “to be fed...(It is) much more suitable than for any one who has won a v...
One of Aristotle’s conclusions in the first book of Nicomachean Ethics is that “human good turns out to be the soul’s activity that expresses virtue”(EN 1.7.1098a17). This conclusion can be explicated with Aristotle’s definitions and reasonings concerning good, activity of soul, and excellence through virtue; all with respect to happiness.
Happiness is the goal of every human beings according to Aristotle, however what does happiness imply? It is in his attempt to define happiness and to find a way to attain it that Aristotle comes across the idea of virtue. It is thus necessary to explain the relationship between these two terms. I will start by defining the good and virtue and then clarify their close link with the argument of function, I will then go into more details in explaining the different ways in which they are closely related and finally I am going to give an account of the apparent contradiction in Book X which is a praise of the life of study.
Aristotle rejects the idea of universal happiness by explaining how Plato does not incorporate the large number of variants. Aristotle believes that good is not a single, common universal, because what it is to be good is particular to the essence of the individual. One might also argue that other common factors associated with happiness were wealth, pleasure, knowledge, and honor. Aristotle disagrees and found each of these limited to the notion of the good of man. Some benefits that may motivate them to seek better opportunities within their career may be the thought of money bringing happiness and also they will practice living the good life. Developing a good character requires a strong effort of will to do the right thing, even in difficult situations. The general idea that happiness is a result of the wealth is skewed from reality. Wealth is a means to happiness, not actual happiness, one who is wealthy, but is unable to actually use the money is not happy. Aristotle feels the good for man is something that is not dependent on anything else, so being wealthy is not something desirable. Happiness is not pleasurable sensations that can be gained or lost, it is what we seek when acting and is a condition of a person over a lifetime, not at one
Plato widely a respected philosopher and is arguably one of the greatest philosophers of all time. I knew nothing about him or what he stood for before taking this course and I found his theory on human nature very exciting. “Plato’s most fundamental contribution to philosophy was the distinction he drew between the changing physical objects we perceive with our senses and the under changing ideals we can know with our minds.” What Plato means is when we see something that we think is good or bad that there is good strong reasoning behind why we think the way we do. I find this very intriguing because, this it pertains to how I feel about everyday things and big Icons. For example, when hanging out at a friend’s house that is considerably richer
However, we can wonder if the pleasures that derive from necessary natural desires are what actually brings us happiness, since having a family, friends, a good job and doing fun things seem to bring the most joy in life. Plato’s ideas on life are even more radical, since he claims that we should completely take difference from our bodily needs. Therefore it seems that we should only do what is necessary for us to stay a life and solely focus on the mind. Although both ways of dealing with (bodily)pleasure are quite radical and almost impossible to achieve, it does questions if current perceptions of ‘living the good life’ actually leads to what we are trying to achieve, which is commonly described as
Plato believes people should strive to be virtuous in order to achieve true goodness. Our souls live on, long after our mortal selves do, and Plato does not believe in consequences. We should live our lives, let go, and ignore the consequences, since we have many lives left, after the ones we are currently partaking in expires. Instead, we should just do good, and follow what is good, no matter what happens to us in the process. Virtue is thought to be an innate concept, and it illuminates that which we take to be virtuous. Plato believes virtue is seen in a reflective form, not directly.
Happiness can be viewed as wealth, honour, pleasure, or virtue. Aristotle believes that wealth is not happiness, because wealth is just an economic value, but can be used to gain some happiness; wealth is a means to further ends. The good life, according to Aristotle, is an end in itself. Similar to wealth, honour is not happiness because honour emphases on the individuals who honour in comparison to the honouree. Honour is external, but happiness is not. It has to do with how people perceive one another; the good life is intrinsic to the...