How Did Plato Search For The Good

Ethics, according to the Oxford English Dictionary are moral codes that decide what is right and wrong for a specific person. Plato was a Greek Philosopher and Ethicist whose theories impacted the rest of the western world. The exact time and location of Plato's birth has not yet been discovered due to a limit in information. What is certain, is that he was born in Athens, Ancient Greece between 429 to 423 B.C.E. Plato was born into a wealthy, aristocratic family who provided their son the best education possible, therefore it is believed that he excelled in grammar, music, and philosophical studies. He is best noted for his theories on forms, platonic idealism, and platonic realism. In his later years Plato founded an academy for learning

Plato believed that a person must search for the good in all things to clearly view the good, through contemplation a person is to understand the existence of the good. Through searching a person would then understand the extent of the good, according to Plato the good is embedded within everything, whether it be the simplicity of nature or the abstract life within society. Protagoras did not search, but instead questioned the idea of good and evil. Due to Protagoras being a sophist, he would naturally question all ideas before deciding they were truth. This is evident in his approach in understanding the good and finding it. Protagoras stressed that although all views may appear equally true, they are not of equal importance and truth. One view may be advantageous to the person who has it, while the perception of another may prove harmful. Protagoras believed that the sophist was there to teach the student how to decide between them and therefore he put a large emphasis on questioning everything. This was the same in how he viewed the good, constantly questioning if something was good or evil. This is simaliar to Plato’s belief in searching for the good everywhere, Protagoras instead questioned whether something was good and evil everywhere, still

Plato believed that good surrounded each person and could be found in the very fibre of existence, therefore understanding and attaining such a powerful and ultimately infinite source of being would be the greatest achievement in life. Plato explains, within the Republic dialogue, “Although the good is not being,” it is “superior to it in rank and power,” it is what “provides for knowledge and truth,” (Reeve, 509). On the other hand, Protagoras believed, “Man is the measure of all things: of things which are, that they are, and of things which are not, that they are not,” (Mattey, http://hume.ucdavis.edu/mat tey/phi02 1/pro tag.html). Protagoras believed that reality is what humans invent ourselves, that every action creates a reaction. Therefore he did not believe that understanding the good was the center of all existence, rather that it was evident, but not the basis of human life. This conflicts with Plato’s theory on the good and the important of the good, Plato believes connecting with the good is the most important thing whereas Protagoras believes it is the least. Protagoras believes the most important pursuance is of making positive choices, not searching for a good