Imagine throwing a party with delicious food where you and your friends debate what love is. Ancient Greek philosopher Plato (428–348 BCE) tells a similar story in his Symposium. This essay introduces Plato’s Symposium by summarizing the core philosophical views in its speeches.
Tag: Plato
Plato’s Allegory of the Cave: the Journey Out of Ignorance
Plato’s book The Republic is a dialogue about justice. It contains the “Allegory of the Cave”, a fanciful story that illustrates some of Plato’s ideas about education and the distinction between appearance and reality. This essay introduces the Allegory and explains its meaning.
Why be Moral? Plato’s ‘Ring of Gyges’ Thought Experiment
What if you could steal, cheat, and violate any other moral norm without fear of punishment? Would you still have reason to do what’s right? The ancient Greek philosopher Plato (427—347 B.C.E.) considered this question in his dialogue, the Republic, which offers a blueprint for an ideal society. Plato thinks that you should do what’s right, even in these circumstances. This essay explains one of the strongest objections to his position.
Plato’s Crito: When Should We Break the Law?
An overview of Plato's "Crito."
Plato’s Form of the Good
Author: Ryan Jenkins Category: Historical Philosophy, Metaphysics, Ethics Word Count: 938 You have often heard it said that the Form of the Good is the greatest thing to learn about, and that it is by their relation to it that just things and [other virtuous things] become useful and beneficial (Republic, 505a). Plato’s Republic is a wide-ranging tract, admired for … Continue reading Plato’s Form of the Good