1. Lecture 2 Plato’s Idealism Lecture 2 Plato’s Idealism Thomas Wren Philosophy 389 - Moral Psychology Spring 2007 - Loyola University Chicago

2. Agenda Plato’s Historical Context Plato’s Historical Context His Big Question His Big Question 1. His Conception of Human Development 2. His Model of the Mind 3. His Method of Inquiry 4. His Conception of the Individual & Society His Relevance to Contemporary Psychology His Relevance to Contemporary Psychology

3. Historical Context The “Golden Age” of Greece (500-300 BCE) The “Golden Age” of Greece (500-300 BCE) Socrates > Plato >Aristotle > Alexander (!) Socrates > Plato >Aristotle > Alexander (!) Plato (428-347 BCE) Plato (428-347 BCE) Born in Athens, wealthy aristocratic family, served in army, traveled to Sicily and elsewhere, died at 81 yrs.Born in Athens, wealthy aristocratic family, served in army, traveled to Sicily and elsewhere, died at 81 yrs. Studied under Socrates, founded the AcademyStudied under Socrates, founded the Academy Wrote 24 “Dialogues”Wrote 24 “Dialogues” Early dialogues: Socrates’ ideas Early dialogues: Socrates’ ideas Middle dialogues (incl.The Republic): Socrates & Plato’s ideas Middle dialogues (incl.The Republic): Socrates & Plato’s ideas Late dialogues: Plato’s ideas Late dialogues: Plato’s ideas

4. Plato’s Big Question “How can different things be the same?”* “How can different things be the same?”* *Related Questions: The One and the Many The One and the Many The Visible and the Invisible The Visible and the Invisible The Real and the Unreal The Real and the Unreal

5. Example The opening (or is it openings?) of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony The orchestra The orchestra Keyboard noises Keyboard noises The score The score

6. Our Four Psychological Themes Aris- totle ……… … Locke, etc. Three parts of soul and three classes of society Conceptual analysis and reminiscence Four levels of knowledge and four levels of reality Knowing the Good (escaping from the cave) Plato Self & SocietyMethod of InquiryModel of the MindHuman Development

7. 1. Plato’s Conception of Human Development Self Development Self Development No distinct concept of SelfhoodNo distinct concept of Selfhood Delphic oracle produced humility in SocratesDelphic oracle produced humility in Socrates Intellectual Development Intellectual Development Increasingly real knowledge & increasingly real objects of knowledgeIncreasingly real knowledge & increasingly real objects of knowledge “Real” = “Ideal” (because reality is permanent, a la Parmenides)“Real” = “Ideal” (because reality is permanent, a la Parmenides) Moral Development Moral Development Virtue is produced by knowledge of the GoodVirtue is produced by knowledge of the Good Knowledge of the Good is produced by virtuous livingKnowledge of the Good is produced by virtuous living “To know the Good is to choose it.”“To know the Good is to choose it.”

8. Anamnesis Pre-existence of soul Pre-existence of soul A metaphysical claim?A metaphysical claim? A figure of speech?A figure of speech? Innate ideas Innate ideas Death as fulfillment Death as fulfillment Christian analoguesChristian analogues

9. 2. Plato’s Model of the Mind Isomorphic correspondence of mental and ontological structures: Isomorphic correspondence of mental and ontological structures: Four levels of knowledge for four levels of realityFour levels of knowledge for four levels of reality Each level of knowledge has its own structureEach level of knowledge has its own structure Progress from lowest to highest level is “stage structural” (Analogy of the Divided Line) Progress from lowest to highest level is “stage structural” (Analogy of the Divided Line) Relationships between levels are defined in terms of resemblance, not causality, but… Relationships between levels are defined in terms of resemblance, not causality, but… Consider implications of the Allegory of the Cave Consider implications of the Allegory of the Cave

10. Analogy of the Divided Line (B) The Intelligible The ( C ) World Forms Good World Forms Good Concepts Concepts (A) The Visible World Physical_Objects The (D) World Physical_Objects The (D) Sun Sun Images Images

11. Plato’s Allegory of the Cave http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/images/PlatoCave.jpg

12. 3. Plato’s Method of Inquiry Plato points up to the heavenly Forms, which are known to us from birth even though we need “gadflies” such as Socrates to help us remember what we know. His method of inquiry is to ask questions that stimulate the memory. Aristotle holds his hand flat, to show that the objects of human knowledge are things in this world, which can only be known through sense experience. His method of inquiry is to abstract ideas from empirical observations.

13. Socratic Questioning The Meno: Slave boy discovers his innate idea of Circle The Meno: Slave boy discovers his innate idea of Circle Socrates’ minimalist conception of teacher as gadfly, midwife, questioner Socrates’ minimalist conception of teacher as gadfly, midwife, questioner Irony: Socrates’ trial and death Irony: Socrates’ trial and death

14. 4. Plato’s Conception of Self and Society Justice is best seen “writ large” in society Justice is best seen “writ large” in society Socratic Conclusion: Social Justice is harmony among the three parts of society, and Personal Justice is harmony among the three parts of the soul Socratic Conclusion: Social Justice is harmony among the three parts of society, and Personal Justice is harmony among the three parts of the soul

15. The Three Parts of the Soul/Society and Their Virtues The three parts of Soul The three parts of Soul Reason (Wisdom)Reason (Wisdom) Spirit (Courage)Spirit (Courage) Appetite (Temperance)Appetite (Temperance) The three parts of Society The three parts of Society Rulers (Wisdom)Rulers (Wisdom) Guardians (Courage)Guardians (Courage) Workers (Temperance)Workers (Temperance)

16. PLATO’S RELEVANCE TO CONTEMPORARY PSYCHOLOGY Plato’s Mind-Body dualism still poses a challenge, especially for cognitive psychologists who appeal to neurology. Plato’s Mind-Body dualism still poses a challenge, especially for cognitive psychologists who appeal to neurology. His notion of innate ideas, as illustrated in the Meno by the slave boy who “recalled” the definition of a circle, corresponds to what psycholinguists call “the poverty of the stimulus.” We will try to discuss this more extensively in a later lecture. His notion of innate ideas, as illustrated in the Meno by the slave boy who “recalled” the definition of a circle, corresponds to what psycholinguists call “the poverty of the stimulus.” We will try to discuss this more extensively in a later lecture.