Theo’s Philosophy – more Plato
Another work which I find enjoyable by Plato, is Symposium, where Socrates is invited to a night of drinking with the leading minds of Athens. Literary devices are used well in this short work such as Plato’s use of stories told within stories (the story of the party was told second hand by a follower of Socrates who had been told about it second hand from someone else). The party decides to amuse themselves by praising love which gives Plato the opportunity to make his characters give pretty speeches or alternatively to make a complete ass out of themselves. One of Socrates’ previous lovers drops in and causes some trouble. The star of the show remains of course Socrates whose eccentricities, arrogance and heroic virtues are on full display as well as his philosophical skill as he gives the final word (or so he thinks) on Love at the climax of the drinking party.
Filed under Boost your brain | Tags: Plato | Comment (0)Theo’s philosopy – More Plato
The Republic is the work that pops up in people’s minds when they think about Plato. Take my advice and don’t start with it. The protagonist in Plato’s writings is a rather strange character called Socrates who was Plato’s teacher. This Socrates can be infuriating, often engaging in dialogues with innocent passersby, only to systematically (sometimes well, sometimes it must be said with rather dubious arguments) show that what the person thought they know they really didn’t. His mission, to show man how ignorant he is, can often make the reader uninterested in Socrates. However Plato’s works which deal with the trial and the events surrounding the trial of Socrates obtain a dramatic element which makes the reader more engaged and in my opinion the concepts better articulated. Plato’s books the Euthyphro, Apology, Crito (my favorite) and Phaedo are all relatively short and have been compiled together under the title The Last Days of Socrates. It is when faced with death that we can relate with the heroic Character of Socrates and his mission to live what he saw as the good life.
Filed under Boost your brain | Tags: Crito, Euthyphro, Phaedo, Philosophy, Plato, Socrates | Comment (0)