Plato's Dialogues: Seven Dialogues

Author: Dai Ziqin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1998-03-01
Features: Plato (c. 427–347 BC), the most famous idealist philosopher and thinker in ancient Greece, was the first to systematize idealist philosophy in the history of Western philosophy. His works and ideas have had a very important impact on later generations. Plato came from a noble family in Athens. It is said that his name originated from his broad forehead, but his real name gradually faded into oblivion. Plato was born during the Peloponnesian War. In his youth, like other noble children, he received a good education and was exposed to various thoughts of the time. The person who had the greatest influence on Plato's life was Socrates. At the age of 20, Plato became Socrates' disciple and studied with him for 10 years until Socrates was executed by the Athenian democratic faction. His teacher's death dealt a heavy blow to Plato. Plato didn't want to stay in Athens anymore. From the age of 28 to 40, he traveled abroad, visiting places like Egypt, Italy, and Sicily, where he studied and promoted his political ideas. In 388 BC, he arrived in Syracuse, the ancient city of Sicily, intending to persuade the ruler to establish an ideal state governed by philosophers, but his goal was not achieved. After returning to Athens, Plato founded an academy. While teaching, he also wrote, and a sign hung at the entrance of his academy read: "No entry for those who do not understand geometry." This shows that knowledge of geometry was necessary to enter Plato's philosophical. This academy became an important philosophical research institution in ancient Greece, offering four courses: mathematics, astronomy, music, and philosophy. Plato required his students to live in the world of ideas formed in their minds rather than in the real world. He vividly said, "A triangle drawn in the sand can be erased, but the concept of a triangle remains, unrestricted by time and space." Plato deeply understood the principle of applying knowledge in practice. In his academy, he trained political leaders according to his political philosophy. His academy was also humorously referred to as a "political training school." In the following years, Plato made two more trips to Sicily. One was to Syracuse as a teacher for the newly ascended Dionysius II. After arriving in Syracuse, the floors of the Syracuse court were covered with sand, and people were enthusiastic about studying geometry on it. Plato left behind many works, most of which were written in the form of dialogues. The most frequently cited works include "Apology," "Meno," "The Republic," "The Sophist," and "The Laws." "The Republic" is one of his representative works. The theory of Forms is the core of Plato's philosophical system. He believed that there was a non-physical world of ideas outside the material world. The world of ideas was real, while the material world was unreal and merely a vague reflection of the world of ideas. We can take beauty as an example to understand the relationship between Plato's sensory world, the world of ideas, and human cognition. Plato believed that there are many kinds of things in the world, and when you judge whether something is beautiful, you must already have a prototype of beauty in your mind. This prototype of beauty comes from the absolute beauty that exists in the world of ideas. No beautiful thing can compare to the prototype of beauty; the former is merely a imitation of the latter. There are countless beautiful things, but there is only one prototype or ideal of beauty. The same applies to other things. For example, various tables exist because of the concept of a table, various houses exist because of the concept of a house, and the green in the world exists because of the concept of green. Clearly, his theory of Forms is objective idealism, and its fundamental error lies in denying the objective world and treating the imaginary as the real. Plato believed that human knowledge (knowledge of Forms) is innate and does not need to be acquired through practice. He thought that the soul is immortal and can be reincarnated. Before birth, the soul was free and knowledgeable in the world of ideas. Once reborn as a human, the soul enters the body and loses both freedom and the knowledge it once possessed. To regain knowledge, one must recall. Therefore, the process of cognition is the process of recollection, and true knowledge is recollection—the immortal soul's recollection of the world of ideas. This is Plato's formula for cognition. He also believed that not everyone possessed this ability to recollect; only a few gifted individuals, i.e., philosophers, had it. Therefore, he confidently stated: unless philosophers rule as kings or rulers possess the wisdom and spirit of philosophers, the state would be difficult to govern well. This so-called idea of the "philosopher-king" was the pillar of his ideal state.