Essay about Plato

The patterns and concepts in this perfect world seize to change. To grasp his idea of Form take a soccer ball as an example. The soccer ball has some obvious qualities; color, shape, and weight. While size and weight seize to exist if the soccer ball doesn’t exist the shape remains. If you separate the property of “roundness” from the size or weight of the ball then you have the Form of roundness alone. Forms can hold true for other objects, all other round objects share the same outline as the Form, “roundness.” To differentiate Form and objects, realize that a Form does not exist alone in space or time while a tangible object does. By this Plato means that form exists in a different way than the object, which is how it can withstand from changing. The property of roundness is universal, it can be recognized everywhere or nowhere and the Form will continue to exist. If all round objects were destroyed the property of roundness stays constant. Forms exist independently while particulars can only exist through participating in the Forms. In the Meno Plato writes, “ For as all nature is akin, and the soul has learned all things, there is no reason why we should not, by remembering but one single thing—an act which men call learning—discover everything else.” (Meno 81d) We as human beings are able to recognize the Forms because we were born with a dim recollection of them

Following events, which went on to take place further, established his dislike for the government form, thus resulting his propositions of a Utopia in The Republic. At a young age, Plato began to follow the great philosopher Socrates, which instilled his ultimate desire to pursue philosophy, rather than his destined profession in politics. Plato had grown close to Socrates and his teachings; this close connection was a cause to Plato’s finalizing opinions of Democracy. In 399 BCE Socrates was executed by the newly leading Democratic leaders of Athens, and was voted by a majority to be put to death. Plato turned in disgust from contemporary Athenian politics afterwards and went on to be the founder of the Academy; a gathering place, which one could consider a school, that housed great scholars and their revolutionizing thoughts on Mathematics, Philosophy, and Theoretical Astronomy. Due to the events of Plato’s life, he was able to develop the most profound and employed ideas associated with western civilization. His influence had such great impact that his principles are often used in modern-day establishments, from government forms, to fundamentals pertaining to philosophy, the impacts of socialization, as well as religion. To begin an analysis of principles, there must be an understanding of human nature and his personal thoughts regarding the topic, in having that basis of knowledge one could further understand how the basic

It is said within his twenty years, he eventually started teaching himself within Plato’s school, and was well known for rhetoric at the time. During his teachings it became known that Aristotle did not view the world the same as Plato. It was this that would start to stir the mind within Aristotle to challenge Plato’s view that spawned still known debates today that rage. Plato’s eventual death and later his subsequent denial of advancement to the head of Plato’s school that another was chosen in his stead so he left once his friend Hermeias gave him a better

Socrates was a very simple man who did not have many material possessions and spoke in a plain, conversational manner. Acknowledging his own ignorance, he engaged in conversations with people claiming to be experts, usually in ethical matters. By asking simple questions, Socrates gradually revealed that these people were in fact very confused and did not actually know anything about the matters about which they claimed to be an expert. Socrates felt that the quest for wisdom and the instruction of others through dialogue and inquiry were the highest aims in life. He felt that "The unexamined life is not worth living." Plato's Apology is the speech Socrates made at his trial. Socrates was charged with not recognizing the

  The ambiguity of the concept of the forms in Plato's Theory of Forms lessens the strength of Plato's overall argument.  Plato uses the concept of the forms as the basis of many of his

Plato’s Forms and The Divided Line Forms come from the Greek word (eidos), which is translated, to an idea. Plato argued that even though an idea exists in our mind a form is independent of our mind. Forms are not made of or dependent upon physical matter unlike Particulars, which are, changeable and imperfect. Plato saw Forms as the source of all knowledge and as such, the Forms must be eternally consistent and unchanging.

This is the center thought behind Plato 's theory of forms, from this thought he moves towards clarifying his universe of forms or ideas. While trying to give the definition to elusive universals, Plato constructs a Theory of Forms to demonstrate that the sensible universe of particulars are simple impersonations of this present reality where forms live, autonomous of thought and existing in their own metaphysical realm that can be retrieved through the mind using reason.

Plato's Republic      Critics of The Republic, Plato's contribution to the history of political theory, have formed two distinct opinions on the reasoning behind the work. The first group believes that The Republic is truly a model for a political society, while the other strongly objects to that, stating it as being far too fantastic for any society to operate successfully by these suggested methods. In an exchange between Crito and Dionysius, this argument is first introduced, with Crito siding with those who agree that The Republic is a realistic political model, and Dionysius arguing on behalf of those who doubt it as being realistic, claiming it to be a criticism of politics in general.

Plato’s view of justice ties in with his view of a perfect world. In Plato’s ideal world, the society would be a wise one, wise in

In reading the Republic, there is no reason to search for arguments which show that Platonic justice ('inner justice' or 'psychic harmony') entails ordinary justice. The relationship between inner justice and ordinary justice is of no importance in Plato's Republic. We note that Plato tries to argue from the very first book that the true source of normativity lies in knowledge attained by philosophical reason. What is crucial, then, is the relationship between inner justice and acts which brings about a just polis.

     I intend to show the validity of Plato's arguments about his theory of Forms. Aristotle, along with others, cross-examines Plato's proposals. Yet, I happen to see the potential of his point of view and would like to take a deeper look into his theory. The purpose of this paper is to critically analyze the theory of Plato's Forms from his perspective and that of several others, including Aristotle.

Plato created an academy dedicated to geometry. He had a bunch of successful scholars that attended his school. Some scholars stayed for plato, but others left to alexandria to further their studies. Plato’s academy was dedicated to geometry, and it was extremely important then, and it is even important

     “The Unexamined Life is not Worth Living.” This is the famous quote proclaimed by Socrates, a controversial philosopher of ancient Athens. He believed that anyone could lead a significant and meaningful existence by examining his or her own life and ideas very thoroughly. (Soccio)

Plato was a philosopher who was born in Athens (470-390 BCE), and was also a student of Socrates. He felt that intelligence and one’s perception belonged to completely independent realms or realities. He believed that general concepts of knowledge were predestined, or placed in the soul before birth even occurred in living things. Plato believed that the cosmos was intelligible, and the the universe was mathematically understandable. He believes that mathematical objects could be seen as perfect forms. Forms, a doctoral of Plato, can be understood as an everyday object or idea, which does not, exists in the everyday realm, but merely is existent in the hypothetical realm or reality.

Plato was a great Greek philosopher that was born 428 B.C.E. in Classical Athens to Ariston and Perictione and died in 348 B.C.E. He is regarded as one of the greatest philosophers of all time of western thought. He was the apprentice of Socrates and went on to mentor a student at his school, Aristotle. He had many great accomplishments such as writing the apology and the republic to even opening The Academy.