We tell you what Plato’s contributions are and their characteristics. Also, who was Plato and what were his works.
Plato contributed the theory of ideas to philosophy.
What are Plato’s contributions?
Plato (427-347 BC) was a Greek philosopher who lived in Greece during the 5th and 4th centuries BC. His contributions to philosophy were in almost all philosophical fields, such as metaphysics, epistemology and ethics.
Some of his most important contributions are the theory of ideas, the allegory of the cave and Platonic dualism.. Furthermore, he was the founder of the Academy, which was a school where philosophy was taught, probably the first and most important of ancient philosophy.
Plato was a student of Socrates (470-399 BC), so he followed in his footsteps and dedicated part of his life to teaching. Among his disciples is Aristotle (384-322 BC), another of the most important Greek philosophers in history. Together they make up what is known as the classical period of ancient philosophy.
Frequent questions
Who was Plato?
Plato was a philosopher who lived in Greece from 427 to 347 BC.
What were Plato’s contributions?
Plato’s contributions were the theory of ideas, Platonic dualism, the allegory of the cave and the immortality of the soul.
Where did Plato teach philosophy?
Plato taught philosophy at the Academy, which was a philosophical school he founded in Athens.
See also: Plato
1. The theory of ideas
The theory of ideas or forms is one of Plato’s most important contributions, probably the most famous and radical.
Plato maintains that all things in the physical world are a certain way because they imperfectly express the world of ideas.. Ideas are eternal and immutable realities that inhabit the intelligible planethat is, on a plane other than the sensible plane.
According to Plato, What is perceived through the senses is only a degraded copy of ideas. For example, a flower is beautiful because it imperfectly expresses the idea of immutable and eternal beauty.
You may find this useful: Plato’s theory of ideas
2. Platonic dualism
Plato maintains that There are two separate worlds or realms that relate to each other.: one is the visible world, of the senses, which is imperfect and subject to change; the other is the invisible world, intelligible by the intellect, which is perfect and immutable.
The sensitive worldThe intelligible worldIt is known through the senses. It is known through the intellect. Things are images or traces of ideas. Ideas are the model of which objects are copies. It is imperfect and subject to change. It is perfect and immutable. It is the world of appearances and copies. It is the world of reality and truth.
The body and the soul. Plato believed that the body and soul are separate and belong to different realities. While the body is part of the sensible world, the soul is part of the intelligible world. For him, the body is the imperfect prison of the perfect soul, and only through it can one access the plane of ideas.
3. The allegory of the cave
The allegory of the cave is one of Plato’s best-known contributions. and it is a literary resource that shows, through a story, how knowledge is accessed.
In the allegory of the cave, Plato tells the story of some prisoners who lived chained at the bottom of a cave, accustomed to seeing only the shadows that were projected on the wall. One day, one of the prisoners came out of the cave, saw the sunlight, and returned to the cave to tell the others what he had seen. However, his companions believed that he was lying and stoned him.
This story appears in Republic. Plato uses it to show how the sensible world and the intelligible world are grasped.whether through the senses or through the soul. Furthermore, the fact that the prisoners mocked their freed companion is an allusion to the case of Socrates, who was brought to trial by the citizens of Athens and ended up drinking poison as punishment.
In general, this allegory is used for didactic purposes, since it explains how knowledge is acquired, talks about being and even politics. That is why it is supposed to be an epistemological, ontological, educational and political story.
See also: Myth of the cave
4. The immortality of the soul
Plato believed that the soul was immortal and belonged to the sensible realm. Furthermore, the soul preexisted the body, which was its prison. According to Platonic theory, When people die, the soul separates from the body and continues to exist in the intelligible world.
The immortality of the soul serves Plato to show how knowledge is acquired. Plato speaks of reminiscence, which is the process by which the soul remembers the knowledge it had already acquired on the plane of ideas. Therefore, For Plato to know is to remember.
Life and works of Plato
Plato was born in 427 BC, in Athens, and died in 347 BC. Like many of his contemporaries, he was a disciple of Socrates. This experience marked his thinking in a radical way, so much so that Socrates became the main character in most of his works.
In his mature years he founded his own school of thought: the Academy. There he taught philosophy and different knowledge common to the time, both to philosophers, politicians and citizens. One of them was Aristotle, who later was a great critic of Platonic thought.
Influenced by Socrates, Plato focused his philosophy on the search for truth and knowledge through critical dialogue. Through works such as Republic and Phaedoexplored concepts of justice, politics, and the immortality of the soul.
He also advocated a comprehensive education that cultivated virtue and wisdom. He believed in an ideal society governed by philosopher-kings, where each individual played his role in harmony with the common good. Despite criticism and debate throughout history, Plato’s thought impacted not only philosophy but also education, politics and ethics throughout the centuries.
His work is divided into three periods, youth, maturity and old age.. Between youth and maturity there is a transition period.
- Period of youthAlso known as the Socratic period, it includes the works Apology of Socrates, Duty, of poetry, of friendship, Of Wisdom and The sophists.
- Transition period. This period includes the works Hippias Major, Gorgias, Menexenes and Menoamong other.
- Maturity period. This period includes the works The Republic, Phaedrus, Phaedo and The banquet.
- Old age period. Also known as the critical period, it includes the works Parmenides, Theaetetus, Sophist and The Politician.
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References
- Guthrie, W. (1988). History of Greek Philosophy, Vol. IV. Plato, the man and his dialogues: early period. Gredos.
- Guthrie, W. (1988). History of Greek Philosophy, vol. V. Plato, second period and the Academy. Gredos.
- Guthrie, W. (1953). The Greek philosophers. From Thales to Aristotle. FCE.
- Ross, W. D. (1993). Plato’s Theory of Ideas. Chair.
- Cordero, N. (2008). The invention of philosophy. An introduction to ancient philosophy. Biblos Publishing House.