Plato Multiplicity Of The Soul Essay

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I am going to argue that the conception of the multiplicity of the soul is not as plausible as the simplicity of the soul. This is due to it not only relying upon Plato’s theory of the Forms like the simple soul but through its reliance on Plato’s ideal city or Callipolis. Plato argues that the soul has multiple parts, three to be precise. To better explain this, Plato uses the example of how the soul is alike a charioteer. There are three integral parts to the soul making it tripartite and these parts all interact. The analogy with the charioteer portrays a chariot and two horses with the charioteer as the human being which is carried or moved by the other parts. Plato states one horse represents the need or want for glory, the other is our …show more content…

This is a problem as his theory of the Forms has already can easily be objected against, as I already have done, so therefore if it falls to criticism then so does Plato’s theory of the soul. Plato’s conception of the soul relies on the Forms because it links to the theory of recollection as I have previously mentioned. If the soul’s knowledge has stemmed from the soul being part of the Form of the Good, then the two theories are heavily interlinked. Furthermore, as the soul is infinite in Plato’s theory, it must return to the Form of the Good and thus this Form is an integral part of the soul’s life and its conception. Plato’s theory of the Forms can be rejected against as I have argued, as it is purely discovered from rational thought and can only truly be understood by the Philosopher Kings. Therefore, without any empirical evidence or justification it can be argued to be purely a whimsical theory. Furthermore, it can be stated that as only the Philosopher Kings can access the Forms and understand them, it is an elitist theory which benefits those who have written it and therefore is biased towards those who Plato wanted to succeed. Therefore, Plato’s argument of the multiplicity within the soul and in turn, the Callipolis, is a theory which purely benefits himself and those who he believed to be worthy of seeking

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