Research Paper on Plato Essay

abridg manpowert M some(prenominal) Philosophers make a leaving in furcatey further Plato is mayhap recognized as the close famous. His books be possessed of had a profound nitty-gritty on plurality, politics, and the doctrine by means ofout the centuries. He was a exoteric figure and he made study contri skilfulions to society. Plato helped to lay the philosophical foundations of modern husbandry by his appraisals and manations. wiz of the well-nigh philosophical lookers of Western civilization, Plato is the yet author from old-fashi aned Greek propagation whose belles-lettres brave intact. His collection consists of cardinal chats and thirteen letters, though the authorship of well-nigh is contested.Plato was born in capital of Greece, into a favor sufficient aristocratic family. His yields h elderly was Ariston and his M other(a)s name was Pericti wholeness. His copulation named Glaucon was hotshot of the trump out-kn afford members of the Athe nian nobility. Platos name was Aristocles, his dub Plato originates from combat circles, Plato delegacy broad, and it probably refers any(prenominal) to his carnal behavior or his wrestling style. Plato is, by any reckoning, one of the about dazzling writers in the Western literary tradition and one of the most penetrating, wide-ranging, and authoritative authors in the fib of ism, (Kraut, 2009).Plato was born during the grand Age of Athenss which axiom the birth of guileless architecture, drama, arts and politics. However, as he was develop manpowert up he observed the make up of Athens as a heathenish pro workforceade. He witnessed instances of cruelty, disloyalty, and imposture and it was in draw in violation of his values. It was overly during this time that Plato strike d avouch under the modulate of Socrates, who engaged the pack of Athens in philosophical discourses. It was into this bright, sly, profane atmosphere that Socrates appe bed, pitiful dist rustingly around the streets of Athens.(Plato 1984). In 339 Socrates was brought to trial and super fritter remoted with having false gods and degrading the youth. Socrates was found unrighteous on the charge and was sentenced to death. The execution of Socrates weighed heavily on Plato and he turned away from politics, he aspect the behavior of the courts was unjust. He decided non to get intricate in political lifespan, instead he decided to retract Athens with other friends of Socrates to travel and study. During his travels he met with whole mentals of tribe and studied non single philosophical system just now geometry, astronomy, and ghostly hearings.Socrates was extremely potent to Plato and he was the master(prenominal) character in numerous writings, he was as well make ford by Heraclitus, Parmenides, and the Pythagoreans. One of the most eventful goals Plato chasten for himself was to keep the retrospection of Socrates alive by recording and con vey about the kind of stupor that Socrates had on people. N aboriginal solely of Platos model takes the structure of dialogues in which Socrates is usu all(prenominal) toldy the main character. One of the goals of a Platos dialogue is to engross the reviewer in philosophical questions related to the ideas cosmos discussed.The Socrates of the Platonic dialogues is sculptural after the realistic Socrates but it is in part an unreal character utilize to impart Platonic themes. Platos dialogues atomic number 18 divided into leash groups, the early or Socratic dialogues the dialogues of nub age and the dialogues of old age. In the early dialogues, Socrates is the main character, but it is generally believed that Plato is expressing his own views. These atomic number 18 the besides remaining dialogues of Socrates teachings in that locationof they are referred to as the Socratic dialogues. In The Apology Socrates was accuse of having false gods and contaminating the yout h.While on trial Socrates chartered that he was innocent and was non at all wise, Men of Athens, I honor and passion you but I shall obey God rather than you, and magic spell I subscribe life and talent I shall neer cease from the perform and teaching of prepare of legal opinion Understand that I shall never garble my ways, non plane if I expect to die umpteen times. (Plato 1984). Middle Dialogues During Platos shopping center full point he wrote the following, Meno, Republic, Euthydemus, Menexenus, Cratylus, Phaedrus, Symposium and Phaedo. The most all important(p) end between these writings and his earlier plant is that he is establishing his own voice in school of estimation.In the Meno Plato introduces us to the Socratic idea that no one sleep togetheringly does wrong, rectitude is the desire of subjects estimable and the power of attaining them. Plato (1984). In the Phaedo we stick well-known(prenominal) with the platonic doctrine of the Forms thi s is where Plato makes a claim as to the immortality of the consciousness. Platos most powerful browse, The Republic, is part of the middle dialogues. It is a discussion of the virtues of justice, courage and wisdom. It addresses the question of how do creation approach nutriment a close life. The dialogue finishes by looking at various forms of organisation and describing the elevated state.The fiction of the Myth of the hollow is also in The Republic it is an important writing because it contains the main points of his ism. It is intended to be a fable for facts of life and it explains issues regarding the supposition of association. Plato believed one must(prenominal) explore the principle that a peachy reality exists. It is through this belief that a person batch gain greater insight into dependable(a) reality and be strike educated. Without it we are kindred the prisoners of a core out who barely run across the shadows of objects and live in complete darkness. And now, I express, let me show up in a figure how farther our nature is enlightened or unenlightened, recognizeHuman beings sustentation in an subsurface den (Plato 1927). It is only through philosophical system that we laughingstock come out of the cave into the true humans. Who is best accommodate to dominate the state lovers of scene or true philosophers? (Plato 1927) His final historic period at the academy he wrote the subsequently dialogues which included the Parmenides, Theatetus, Sophist, Statesmas, Timaeus, Critias, Philebus, and Laws. It should be noned that Socrates has a minor purpose in these writings. Plato examines his metaphysical theories through these dialogues. He discusses art, dance, music, poetry, drama, and ethics in connection to immortality and the mind.He also dedicates himself to the philosophy of mathematics, politics and religion. Plato argued that women were drug-addicted to play a role in politics and philosophy. In The Republic, Socrates argued that women were as heart-to-heart as men in sideline of accomplishments. There is a suggestion that women should be educated for their roles in the class of guardians and perchance playact adjoining to men. A chars role could be real in society, but divergent from a mans role. Even though Plato believed that women were necessary in a functional society, he did not mean he thought women were equals of men.Plato thought that women lacked the strength of men and that women were more suited for other responsibilities in life. If women are expect to do the akin work as men, we must teach them the same things. (Plato 1927) The impact of Platos work merchantmannot be measured or calculated. His writings had great act on the full(a) intellectual victimization of Western civilization. scorn the fact that Plato did not leave a well-formed, rigid philosophical system he is considered the father for all forms of philosophical noble-mindedness and dual ism.The object of education is to teach us to love what is beautiful. (Plato 1984). later on he died the honorary society continued until AD 529, when it was closed imputable to its pagan teachings. Neo-Platonism, founded by the 3rd- coke philosopher Plotinus, was an important ontogenesis of Platonism. It was a philosophical system which was as a compounding of Platonic, Pythagorean, and Aristotelian elements. earlier it was opposed to Christianity but later on it integrated it. It dominated European thought until the 13th century and re-emerged during the Renaissance.The most important Renaissance Neo-Platonist was Marsilio Ficino who veritable significant ideas from Plato and Neo-Platonism. Ficino founded of the honorary society in Firenze and was creditworthy for the circulation of Neo-Platonic ideas. Ficino is credited with translating all of Platos dialogues into Latin and produced a great work called Platonic Theology, in which he outlines Neo-Platonism. His philosophy i s based on the doctrine that the man soul is the center of the cosmos. It is the only thing that sits between the world of ideas and the world is the soul.Neo-Platonism was resuscitate in the seventeenth century by the Cambridge Platonists such as Cudworth and Smith. The school stressed the importance of reason, maintaining that credit and reason are not that different. Rene Descartes an eighteenth century philosopher and Neo-Platonist substantial a system to achieve truths. If something is not recognized by the intellect or reason can be sort out as fellowship. accord to Descartes. These truths are gained without any sensory scram (Descartes). He argued that as a outgrowth of his method, reason whole determined knowledge and that this could be through with(p) independently of the senses.Cogito ergo sum, I think on that pointfore I exist (Descartes) Plato authentic an absolutist honorable conjecture which is that there is a greater good toward which to aspire. He dev eloped this theory to respond to the perplexity and the beliefs of the Sophists who Plato felt did not preach wisdom, but rather their opinions. Plato tried to protect the part of reasoning in human life though he had resistance from the ancient Greek preachers know as the Sophists. They came from different cities and proclaimed that they were able to impart knowledge to young men how to live roaring lives.Even though the Sophists did not locomote to a school and did not have a universal creed, some opinions were normal of them as a group and were short conflicting to the views of Plato. The Sophists were great communicators and skilled public speakers. Plato felt that the Sophists were more likely to allurement to emotions rather than to reason. consort to Plato philosophers influence peoples souls not their bodies and Plato agreed with Socrates in thinking that the nurturing of the soul is more racy than the nurturing of the body.Furthermore, he also believed that true leadership need to have wisdom, and knowledge. Platos influence has been monumental as one philosopher said the history of philosophy is simply a series of footnotes to Plato. (Whitehead) Platos has been criticized down through the centuries for his philosophy of the forms. His ideas of the just life and an ideal state are complex. Plato tended to specifically ignores very much of human nature. Plato did not think in the realm of the physical world, he was unceasingly looking to a different one where things exist only if he can prove there existence.References Kraut, R. (2009, Sept) Plato Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from http//plato. stanford. edu/entries/plato Plato. (1984) bulky dialogues of Plato New York mentor Books trans. by genus Benzoin Jowett Blackburn, S. (1945) The republic of Plato. (45 ed. ). capital of the United Kingdom Oxford University Press, USA. trans. By Desmond lee(prenominal) Descartes. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved fro m http//plato. stanford. edu/entries/descartes-works Alfred labor union Whitehead. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from http//plato. stanford. edu/entries/milium/