Plato’s Philosophy: Key Concepts and Principles
Plato’s Philosophy: Key Concepts
Science
Science, according to Plato, is the knowledge of the true realities, which are the Ideas. Plato called this knowledge Episteme or Intelligence. It comprises two activities or degrees:
- Dianoia: Discursive logic, corresponding to mathematical knowledge.
- Noesis: Contemplation of Ideas.
Dialectic
In contrast to the Sophists, for whom dialectic was the art of debate through dialogue (i.e., rhetoric), Plato and Socrates considered dialectic a scientific method that allows for the knowledge of true reality, that is, the essence of things. Through dialectic, one achieves knowledge of things by their supreme reason for being. The dialectical process consists of two phases:
- An upward momentum, from idea to idea, to the contemplation of the supreme idea, the Idea of the Good.
- A downward momentum, where the mind (soul) descends to the lower classes of ideas.
Intelligible World
The Intelligible World is the world of true reality, that is, the world of Ideas. This world has a pyramidal structure because, according to the different levels of being, some ideas are inferior to others and depend on them (the ideas above). This continues until the supreme idea, the Idea of the Good, which is the apex of the pyramid and, therefore, the highest reality upon which every other reality ultimately depends.
Ideas
Ideas are intangible realities, located in a separate world, the Intelligible World. They are immutable, eternal, absolute, universal, and serve as models for the sensitive realities of the physical world. Ideas are the authentic self, so that in front of them, every other reality is degraded and poor.
Sensible World
Facing the Intelligible World of Ideas, the Sensible World is subject to variation and change. It is the world of imperfection, of things that are generated and corrupted, the apparent. The Sensible World consists of mere shadows, a mere appearance, a mere reflection of the true self (Ideas).
Idea of the Good
In the hierarchical structure of the Intelligible World, the Idea of the Good is at the top. The range and role attributed to it by Plato in his philosophy are such that many authors have identified it with “God.” In any case, the Idea of the Good has two dimensions in Platonic philosophy:
- It is the origin of Ideas and the Sensible World.
- It is the foundation of Ideas and the Sensible World.
The Idea of the Good provides meaning and intelligibility to reality, ethics, and politics.
Reminiscence
Reminiscence literally means memory. Indeed, for Plato, knowledge is remembering. The soul, which exists before it joins the body, contemplated the preexisting Ideas. However, in its union with the body, it forgot everything. It is through contact with sensible things by means of the senses that the soul recalls the Ideas covered in the Intelligible World.
Soul
Plato conceived the Soul as a principle of knowledge. The soul is the faculty that provides knowledge and moral action. Its nature is immaterial, spiritual, and similar to divine things, so it is immortal and exists before the body. The proper place of the soul can be none other than the Intelligible World. Plato distinguished three parts or regions of the soul:
- Rational
- Irascible
- Concupiscible
To each, he assigned a virtue: prudence and wisdom, fortitude, and temperance, respectively.