Plato s Republic, And His Sun Analogy - 1601 Words

In this essay I will attempt to illustrate the role of the Form of the Good in regards to other Forms and knowledge as the highest form, and a unifying force. Particular emphasis will be placed on Socrates’ discussion of it in The Republic, and his sun analogy. I will argue that its epistemological role is perhaps most convincing, as the other two fall to a number of criticisms. Other criticisms will be offered, including how vague the theory is, and those offered by Aristotle in particular. The Form of the Good is notoriously ambiguous, in that it is difficult to pin down precisely what it is. In Plato’s Republic, through the character of Socrates, we see an attempt to describe what the Form of the Good is, or, at the very least, some general idea of its nature. After stating that philosophers make the best rulers to his interlocutor, Glaucon, he establishes the way to distinguish philosophers from non-philosophers. Philosophers can pick out non-sensible properties of a Form (eg beauty), as opposed to the non-sensible particulars of a thing (such as a beautiful vase). However, Socrates makes it clear that the most important thing for a philosopher king is the knowledge of the Form of the Good. While there are many other Forms, the Good is ultimately superlative in that it is the highest or most superior. Socrates states that it has three key roles. An: †¢ Ontological role: ‘all other things become useful and advantageous only by their use of’ the Form of the Good †¢Show MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Sun, Line, And Cave 1163 Words   |  5 PagesTalcott Ancient Philosophy 5 December 2014 Consistency in the Sun, Line, and Cave Plato’s theory of the Forms showcases that acquiring knowledge involves turning away from the world of senses and moving towards the Forms/world of intellect. Within Plato’s Republic there are three analogies: the sun, line, and cave, which are intended to clarify how things experienced in the sensible world are less real than the Forms. All three analogies are consistent through their descriptions of the differencesRead MoreWhy the Philospher Should Rule (Plato)1708 Words   |  7 Pages1) (From the Republic Book VII) WHY SHOULD THE PHILOSOPHER RULE? EXPLAIN WHY HE IS BEST SUITED TO RULE AND EXPLAIN 2) WHY IT IS A DILEMMA FOR HE TO CHOOSE TO RULE. WHY DOES HE HAVE TO BE COMPELLED AND WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THE COMPULSION? 3) BE SURE TO COMMENT ON HOW THIS QUESTION IS RELATED TO THE ANSWER PLATO ATTEMPTS TO CONSTRUCT TO GLAUCONS CHALLENGE? Part 1 In Plato’s Republic, Plato sets out to prove that it is always better to be just than unjust. Doing so requires him to lookRead More plato Essay1175 Words   |  5 Pagesopulently describes beneficial metaphors and elaborate imagery about knowledge, ignorance, truth and lastly enlightenment. 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As you can see here Socrates explains thatRead MoreThe Myth Of The Cave1391 Words   |  6 Pagesworld and attempt to clarify the sensations that we feel. Plato a renowned philosopher and student to Socrates had his own theories when it came to metaphysics. Plato believed that the world we perceive is a mere copy of an even greater reality that can only be unlocked by ideas and not material objects perceived as mentioned in his Theory of Forms. The â€Å"Myth of the Cave† is a story told by Socrates to Glaucon in Plato’s novel the Republic in Book 7, Section 7. The story starts with Socrates introducingRead MoreEssay on Plato on the Existence of Negative Forms4235 Words   |  17 PagesPlato on the Existence of Negative Forms The question of the origin and nature of evil in the world has preoccupied philosophers throughout history. The ancient philosopher Plato does not directly address this question in his writings, but it can be argued that the logic of his theory of forms demands the existence of forms that are negative in meaning, such as the evil and the bad. When discussing his theory of imitation, Plato alludes to the principle that whenever there areRead MoreThe Allegory Of The Cave1307 Words   |  6 Pagessee the world and feel the heat of the sun. The prisoner has never seen the sun or the colors of the world so once he steps outside; the sun hurts his eyes, and burns his skin. He eventually acclimates, and is able to enjoy everything. Plato uses an Allegory with the relationship between the darkness of the cave and everything that the world has to offer. Plato believed that the human mind has the capability to recognize the ‘ideal forms.’ Plato uses the sun and som ething good and positive whereasRead MoreThe Theory Used By Epicurus1078 Words   |  5 Pagesperson to person depending on countless variables. This question particularly interested the philosophers Plato and Epicurus. Although both men had fully rational, valid, and interesting takes on the idea of goodness, my argument is that Epicurus’ ideology- in my opinion- is the most reasonable answer. In this essay, I will begin by explaining Epicurus’ hedonistic view, I will then explain why Plato dissents, and then I will finish off by explaining why I believe Epicurus’ idea is more reasonable. Read MorePlato s Philosophy And Philosophy1826 Words   |  8 Pages Plato was an ancient Greek philosopher, pupil of Socrates, mentor of Aristotle and founder of the Academy, most famous for his philosophical works that played a major role in laying the foundations of Western philosophy. Plato’s work is a source of inestimable value since Socrates did not leave any material record behind but some of his ideas were put down by his mentee, Plato. However, Plato added a handful of his own philosophy and it is a difficult challenge for historians to ascertain who theRead More Researching Socratic Pedagogy and Education in Platos Republic4973 Words   |  20 PagesResearching Socratic Pedagogy and Education in Platos Republic ABSTRACT: Though Plato never wrote a dialogue that explicitly asks, What is education?, few argue that he is uninterested in the subject; after all, Plato, like Socrates, was a teacher. In his magnum opus, the Republic, Plato deals with education repeatedly. The eduction of the guardian class and the allegory of the cave present two landmark pedagogical passages. Yet to catch a glimpse of Socratic pedagogy, we must first sift