Contents
What is the significance of the story Phaedo?
The Phaedo gives us four different arguments for the immortality of the soul: The Argument from Opposites, the Theory of Recollection, the Argument from Affinity, and the final argument, given as a response to Cebes’ objection.
What does Plato’s Phaedo focus on?
It emphasises the monster in us that need to be slayed to free ourselves. That monster, ie the Minotour, is originated in the opening passages of Phaedo. Phaedo explains why there is a considerable gap of time between the sentencing and the carrying out of the execution.
What is the main thesis in the Phaedo?
The main theme behind the “Phaedo” is Socrates’ readiness and willingness to die, because of his belief of immortality. Socrates believed that when his body ceased to exist anymore, that his soul would leave and join that of the forms, where he would be eternally.
What did Aristotle say about materialism?
Aristotle claimed that all particular perceptible things are composites of Form and Matter. A modern rendering of this general claim is that the properties of individuals do not exist apart from what they are properties of, nor do relations exist apart from the individuals so related.
Which argument is provided in the Phaedo in support of the Theory of recollection?
The Theory of Recollection shows that the soul existed before birth, and the Argument from Opposites shows that it must have been born from out of death. Bearing in mind that the soul has to be re-born after it dies, Simmias and Cebes are forced to acknowledge that it must continue to exist after death.
What is learning new knowledge according to Socrates in the Phaedo?
The second argument, known as the Theory of Recollection, asserts that learning is essentially an act of recollecting things we knew before we were born but then forgot. True knowledge, argues Socrates, is knowledge of the eternal and unchanging Forms that underlie perceptible reality.
What is one argument for the immortality of the soul given in the Phaedo?
The lecture focuses exclusively on one argument for the immortality of the soul from Plato’s Phaedo, namely, “the argument from simplicity.” Plato suggests that in order for something to be destroyed, it must have parts, that is, it must be possible to “take it apart.” Arguing that the soul is simple, that it does not …
How does Socrates define death in the Phaedo?
Death, Socrates explains, is the separation of the soul from the body.
What is Socrates attitude toward death in the Phaedo?
Phaedo by Socrates
The conversation with Socrates turns to why a philosopher should not fear death. Socrates defines death as the separation of the soul from the body (64, c). He states that the body is a constant impediment to a philosopher in their search for the truth.
What is the central theme in the Phaedo dialogue?
One of the main themes in the Phaedo is the idea that the soul is immortal. In the dialogue, Socrates discusses the nature of the afterlife on his last day before being executed by drinking hemlock.
What does Socrates mean by his argument that learning is recollection or remembering?
Socrates’ doctrine of recollection says that knowledge is already there. So, since, when we are inquiring, we are not searching for something, but instead trying to remember something, the paradox is not a problem.
Why is the Theory of recollection wrong?
One of the flaws of Socrates view of the recollection theory of learning is that he says the soul has knowledge of absolute forms that can be recollected if asked the right questions, but it does not always seem to be the case with such abstract, nonmaterial forms such as beauty or justice.
Why is the theory of recollection important?
This theory affirms that the soul of the human being is immortal and knows the truth before entering the body.
How does Socrates argue that knowledge is recollection is it a good argument?
Socrates affirms that the ability to recollect knowledge must prove a souls existence before the human form . Through recollection, a person can be reminded by something of another entity that is similar or dissimilar . Socrates gives the example of a lyre bringing to mind the image of the youth to which it belongs .
What is the theory of knowledge metaphorically presented as recollection that is discussed in the Meno?
The Meno introduces Meno’s paradox, the theory of recollection and the formula “knowledge is true opinion with an explanation of the reason why”. In the Phaedo, Plato proposes recollection theory as a proof of immortality of soul and introduces the theory of Forms to make the epistemological outline complete.
Why is Meno’s paradox wrong?
The argument for Meno’s Paradox is therefore flawed: it commits the fallacy of equivocation. But beyond it lies a deeper problem. And that is why Plato does not dismiss it out of hand. That is why in response to it he proposes his famous “Theory of Recollection.”
What conclusion does Socrates draw at 86b about recollection and the immortal soul?
What conclusion does Socrates draw at 86b about recollection and the immortal soul? Since the truth is in our soul, the soul must be immortal.
Why is Meno’s paradox A paradox?
Meno acknowledges that justice and moderation are parts of virtue. But Socrates said that he does not want parts of what virtue is, he wants to know what virtue is as a whole. They came across a confusing argument that ended up becoming what is now called Meno’s Paradox or “The Paradox of Inquiry”.
What is the debater’s argument in the Meno?
So, (4): For all x, inquiry into x is impossible. A Debater’s Argument? The argument seems fallacious: we need only distinguish between two sense of ‘know’: know = know everything about know = know anything about If (2) is true, then (3) is false.
What is the Meno problem?
In Plato’s Meno, Socrates raises the question of why knowledge is more valuable than mere true belief. Call this the Meno problem or, anticipating distinctions made below, the primary value problem.
What is the purpose of the Meno?
Meno (/ˈmiːnoʊ/; Greek: Μένων, Ménōn) is a Socratic dialogue by Plato. Meno begins the dialogue by asking Socrates whether virtue is taught, acquired by practice, or comes by nature. In order to determine whether virtue is teachable or not, Socrates tells Meno that they first need to determine what virtue is.
What is the overall topic of the Meno?
The Meno leaves us hanging between defining virtue as straight knowledge or as a kind of mysterious wisdom revealed to us by the gods “without understanding.” It is seen as likely that most virtuous men are so by holding “right opinions” rather than true knowledge.
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