Where does everything come from? Where do we get the idea of perfection?

Seeking a Unified Field Theory to Explain Everything

Plato BC Born in Athens Aristocratic family related to Solon Committed to public service and democracy Rec’d best education Fascinated with politics Saw fall of Athens after war with Sparta Saw temp. oligarchic govt. imposed by Sparta Then, return of democracy

“Plato” the Wrestler!!! Real name: “Aristocles” “Plato” means “broad” given him by his wrestling coach as a young man For his face, shoulders or style

Plato and his Mentor, Socrates At age 20 At age 29 saw the new Athenian democratic government put Socrates on trial At Socrates’ side when he drank hemlock Most reliable source of Socrates’ life and ideas. Most widely read Greek until Late Middle Ages.

Plato’s Theory of Forms And … Thales’ Problem Premise: Thales’ answer did not include everything in the intangible world 1. Material stuff changes and erodes 2. Unchanging is the timeless ideas or molds

Plato’s Theory of Forms These molds exist in intangible realm of ideas These molds Plato called “forms” We relate to these intangible “forms” through our reason They are ideas of perfection, justice, goodness, beauty We don’t see perfection in this in this world…

True Reality is in the realm of Idea It is immaterial and eternal and unchanging One cannot obtain true knowledge through the senses Physical world is a reflection of reality but not reality itself The world of senses is transitory and subject to opinion via the senses

How do we locate reality? A rationalist approach Dialectical discussions of ideas Push each idea, probe, question Locate errors and adjust thinking …This sounds like someone else we know…

Man is a dual creature Realm of forms “a circle” Realm of senses circle We are not born tabular rasa; we have latent knowledge of the realm of forms – we recognize types in this world because of inbred knowledge of forms…

What is Teleology? And what does Plato say about it? What is True Knowledge?

If Attaining Knowledge of the Good is the Purpose of Man, then… All people can access it, in varying degrees perhaps… Enables common ethics It’s accessed through reason, the divine spark Socratic Dialogue

How do we make a just society? “Mankind will not get rid of its evils until either the class of those who philosophize in truth and rectitude reach political power or those most powerful in cities, under some divine dispensation, really get to philosophizing." ( Plato - VIIth Letter, 326a-b)VIIth Letter, 326a-b

The Republic: 2 Ways to Read it Hard interpretation: Politics and good government A treatise on JUSTICE Soft interpretation: Psychology and a good self A treatise on MORALITY & WELL-BEING

What are the Teleological ends of the parts of our being? Reason/Intellect Will - thymos “Passionate part” Appetite “Desireous part”  Wisdom  Courage  Temperance A Just person: architectonic= IN BALANCE, in proportion = morally virtuous person Evil is a result of lack of understanding The Ideal is unchanging Single and uniform, in balance Man assimilates into the Ideal or God HEAD CHEST ABDOMEN

Ideal Man, Ideal Society… Philosopher Kings Or Guardians Formulate ideas Warriors Or Auxiliaries Irrational part in service to guardians procreate Producers Governed by reason, not untested opinions Wisdom Wisdom Courage Courage Temperance Temperance Task of Republic is to show that morality is the basis of happiness/ That anyone with the balance of virtues is happiest

How About Women? “If women are expected to do the same work as men, we must teach them the same things.” - Plato See Theodore Dalyrymple essay, if time permits