Human Nature
by Plato
One of the most significant individuals in both the history of Western philosophy and the
Ancient Greek culture is the Athenian philosopher Plato. Plato was born between 429 and 423
BCE, most likely in Athens or Aegina, to rich parents Ariston and Perictione (amid the
Peloponnesian War). Adeimantus, Glaucon, and Potone may have been some of his siblings. His
birth name may have been Aristocles. Pyrilampes, his uncle, may have had ties to Pericles, the
head of Athens' democratic side. He expressed and elaborated on the theories and methods of his
instructor Socrates in his written dialogues. In Athens, he established the Academy. His writings
on philosophy, politics, and mathematics had a significant impact and helped Euclid develop his
methodical approach to mathematics. He is regarded by many researchers as one of the key
thinkers in Western philosophy and human history. His Forms theories, often known as Platonism,
are what he is most famous for. In favor of metaphysics, Plato's philosophy rejected the
materialism prevalent in ancient philosophy. He held the idea that there was an immaterial universe
filled with ideal things and Forms. According to his theory of forms, all things and concepts in the
physical world are exact replicas of their perfect counterparts in the immaterial realm. Most of
Plato's philosophy is presented in the form of "Socratic dialogues" or "dialectics," in which two or
more characters converse back and forth about various theories. The number of dialogues in Plato's
complete writings is thirty-five, making it the biggest body of work by Greek thinkers that has
survived in its entirety. The growth of reason in ancient Greece—often referred to as the Greek
miracle—includes Platonic thought. It brought rational, scientific, philosophical, and naturalistic
thought to the place of superstitious, religious, mythical, and supernatural thinking. This Greek
miracle greatly influenced the lives we lead now, notably the advantages of science and
technology.] According to Plato, if we properly comprehend human nature, we can discover
"individual happiness and social stability."
Plato claimed that understanding human nature can be attained through dialogue and the
dialectical approach. According to his ideology, a man is defined as having the capacity to respond
intelligently to a question. Plato is a dualist; there is a material body as well as an immaterial mind
or soul, and the soul is the one who is aware of the forms. According to Plato, the soul endures
both before and after death. Although we recall seeing them in the Platonic heaven before we were
born, we do not see perfect circles or perfect justice in this world. So, in contrast to the senses, he
thought that knowledge of the forms is attained by the soul or mind. It goes without saying that
our soul should take precedence over our body. Plato also emphasized how socially inclined people
are. We are not self-sufficient; we depend on other people, and we gain from their friendships,
skills, and abilities through our social interactions. He illustrated his point with the image of a
chariot driver controlling two winged horses—one black and one white—while pulling a chariot,
using the well-known chariot analogy to describe how rational humans are. Some believe that
human nature precludes the development of specific social structures, such as any community that
is largely egalitarian. Others assert more forcefully that prior understanding of human nature is
necessary for the foundation of a true normative ethical theory. Others assert that there are explicit
moral prohibitions against changing or interfering with the collection of traits that constitute
human nature. Finally, others contend that the concept's normative relevance comes from the fact
that its use is typically, or perhaps inevitably, harmful. Although Plato had numerous theories on
human nature, his came from a direction that many Philoshipers neglected to consider. Plato
thought that our souls had a much greater impact on who we are as people than our physical bodies.
We can infer from Plato's Allegory of the Cave that the pursuit of knowledge is the soul's primary
goal. Plato thought that the soul is divided into three parts: the logical part, the spirit part, and the
appetite component. The logical part of the soul is in charge of seeking knowledge and the truth,
followed by the spirited component of the soul, which Plato associated with rage and temper, and
finally the appetitive part of the soul, which is in charge of love, sex, hunger, and thirst; We can
clearly perceive a plan in Plato's philosophy that is founded on human nature. Applying Plato's
theory of ideas to the areas of morality, art, politics, and education raises questions about human
nature. Practical manifestations of the truth and justice principle include correct and fair behavior,
for instance. Plato asserted that a person reflects the nature of the society in which he lives. It's
important to think about the society a person lives in in order to comprehend them. The state is an
organism, a whole rather than an institution that individuals create by coming together and doing
so of their own free choosing. According to Plato, one must first understand the celestial cosmos
in order to fully understand human society and how to organize it. Since the cosmic cosmos is the
manifestation of an eternal order, understanding it is the only way to fully comprehend the concepts
of harmony and order.
Therefore, I learned that the foundation of Plato's view of human nature was his conviction
that the human soul has three distinct parts: reason, hunger, and desire (aka will). In order to make
reasonable decisions, he claims that it is in our human nature to be able to utilize reason to conquer
appetite and desire; nevertheless, when the three aspects of our soul are not working together
harmoniously, we experience mental conflict and irrationality. People on the street, philosophers,
political scientists, and sociologists frequently discuss human nature in relation to moral and
political issues. This is largely because it is widely believed that valid descriptive or explanatory
statements using the idea of human nature have, or would have, important normative implications.
We must study and understand each of them if we are to comprehend Plato's social-political theory
and his notion of human nature. No one is independent enough to live alone, according to Plato.
Humans are not all made evenly; some of us are just born stronger than others, and some of us are.
Because of this, only a chosen number of us—the guardians—should be able to determine what is
best for the community and govern over the rest of us. Finding universal truths and the greatest
way to live are everything that the search for human nature is. Ancient Greek philosophy had many
theories that were largely accepted as human nature.
References:
HISTORY.COM EDITORS UPDATED: AUG 23, 2019, Plato Plato - Life, Philosophy &
Quotes - HISTORY
Platos' Theory of Human Nature, 2019 Essay on Platos' Theory of Human Nature - 1029 Words |
Bartleby
Summary of Plato’s Theory of Human Nature, 2014 Summary of Plato’s Theory of Human Nature
| Reason and Meaning