Plato's Dialogue
Dialogue: to exchange and discuss ideas in a frank and open manner to reach a mutually agreed understanding. Dialogue on difficult issues is important to man. People can learn from others by exchanging ideas and expressing how a philosophy or a stand on an issue affects them. Comprehending the needs, feelings, problems and views of others can help create a better future for all. Can we in a society that proclaims the right to free speech participate in a free and open dialogue? Do we take the time to discuss important issues? Have we as a nation avoided talking about difficult issues?
Plato's Symposium illustrates the need for open and frank dialogue. Engaging in dialogue that allows each individual to express his innermost feeling without prejudice is essential to reach a consensus of thought. Today we have many opportunities to participate in dialogues using a variety of mediums. There are many organizations dedicated to serious dialogues on health, political, environmental and other serious issues that effect our world. The Internet along with other tec...
Socrates put one’s quest for wisdom and the instruction of others above everything else in life. A simple man both in the way he talked and the wealth he owned, he believed that simplicity in whatever one did was the best way of acquiring knowledge and passing it unto others. He is famous for saying that “the unexplained life is not worth living.” He endeavored therefore to break down the arguments of those who talked with a flowery language and boasted of being experts in given subjects (Rhees 30). His aim was to show that the person making a claim on wisdom and knowledge was in fact a confused one whose clarity about a given subject was far from what they claimed. Socrates, in all his simplicity never advanced any theories of his own but rather aimed at bringing out the worst in his interlocutors.
In my mind, the name Plato carried an indubitable authority. Despite that, I found myself contradicting his ideas. I completely rejected the idea of an absolute beauty only visible to an elite class of philosophers. When I voiced my opinions, some people nodded along while others pushed back. The instant I moved from disagreeing internally to verbally, I found a type of joy in the back and forth– a joy that came not from my being right, but from learning to defend my ideas and considering those of
Socrates a classical Greek philosopher and character of Plato’s book Phaedo, defines a philosopher as one who has the greatest desire of acquiring knowledge and does not fear death or the separation of the body from the soul but should welcome it. Even in his last days Socrates was in pursuit of knowledge, he presents theories to strengthen his argument that the soul is immortal. His attempts to argue his point can’t necessarily be considered as convincing evidence to support the existence of an immortal soul.
According to Roger Rosenblatt “since free is the way people's minds were made to be”, freedom of speech is important to speak one's mind in a way that expresses his/her opinion even if this opinion does not seem to convince others. In my opinion, without freedom of speech, the United States would have failed to be such a powerful country as it is today.
We appealed to this topic personally because of everything we see nowadays starting off with the election, all the way to how people choose to express themselves these days. Freedom of speech is encouraged in this country, but can having full freedom of speech affect us more positive
1. The measure of a great society is the ability of its citizens to tolerate the viewpoints of those with whom they disagree. As Voltaire once said, “I may disagree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it” (Columbia). This right to express one's opinion can be characterized as “freedom of speech.” The concept of “freedom of speech” is a Constitutional right in the United States, guaranteed under the First Amendment to the Constitution:
The myth of the Ring of Gyges has transcended hundred of years, thusly making it a ‘tale as old as time’. Modern adaptations of this myth include JRR Tolkien’s, “Lord of the Ring” series as an example. Through this legend and others, like the myth of metals, Plato is able to demonstrate what one ought to do if one is set owner of the infamous Ring of Gyges, ergo the argumentation of why one ought to act justly. If I had a magic ring such as the Ring of Gyges I would be inclined to act mischievously, but would wind up acting as though I did not have the ring. To fully understand my position, if I had a magic ring, can only be fully comprehended once the purpose of the ring, pertaining to morality is understood. I feel as though the Socrates of The Apology and of The Republic would answer in a consistent way. Namely, that regardless of possession of the ring or not, one should act justly.
Well-known for his significant impact on the philosophical world, Socrates was one of the first people to truly question individuals and take the average level of thinking to a much more elevated level. The Last Days of Socrates, specifically Euthyphro, Apology, and Crito, written by Plato demonstrates Socrates’ great use of the Socratic method as well as rhetoric, the art of persuasion. Many people looked down upon Socrates because they viewed his calling, as told by the Oracle of Delphi, to be impious. Although Socrates was put to death for living a life such as his, he was very extremely successful during his time alive. Socrates was successful in both the realm of philosophical truth and in the outside world because humans used rhetorical ways of thinking to find purpose and make decisions without the influence of other members in society.
In “Apology”, Plato insists about Socrates’ life and his qualities. Socrates appeared as talented as a simple man, friendly in communicate, quick-witted and sharp in repartee, love people Athens, and especially respect truthfulness and honestly. As Plato’s essay said, Socrates believed that the care of human soul is the biggest concern of the people, so he spent a lot of time to consider his personal life and the lives of people of Athens.
In the retelling of his trial by his associate, Plato, entitled “The Apology”; Socrates claims in his defense that he only wishes to do good for the polis. I believe that Socrates was innocent of the accusations that were made against him, but he possessed contempt for the court and displayed that in his conceitedness and these actions led to his death.
By writing Symposium, Plato uses six characters to convey his idea of Love, the process of learning and thinking in a philosophical way. Each of these characters has a particular mission to elaborate different spheres of Love. However, these speeches given by six characters are not totally independent. They, to some extent, are connected; some of them agree or disagree with the previous one; some of them improve the idea of the former speakers. In conclusion, according to Symposium, Love is multi-faced.
Confusion plagues everyone in the world. Daily people are subject to struggles that involve them being confused and allow them to not fully take in what the world has to offer. Confusion simply put is the "impaired orientation with respect to time, place, or person; a disturbed mental state." With that said it is evident that many things a susceptible to confusion, and being confused. When reading Plato one cannot
Plato, and G. M. A. Grube. Five Dialogues. 2nd ed. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Pub., 2002. Print.
As students file into the auditorium of the Academy the first thing that we all notice is the two professors that were standing at the front of the room. After all the students were seated that is when the first professor stepped forward to address the class. Plato: Good Morning Students! Students: Good Morning Professor! Plato: Many of you may know who I am and then there are those of you that do not. For those of you that do not know who I am, my name is Plato. I founded this Academy in 387 and it is the first of its kind (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platonic_Academy). I have studied under many great philosophers. After Plato got done speaking he stepped back and the professor standing to the left of him stepped forward and addressed the class. Aristotle: Good Morning Student! Students: Good Morning Professor! Aristotle: Like Plato there are many of you that know me and there are those of you that do not. So I will introduce myself to those of you that do not know me. My name is Aristotle. I was a
For my paper I have chosen Plato and Socrates as my most liked philosophers. The idea that I found most important is how "reason can show us the best way to live"(Haberman & Stevenson, pg 79). Plato and Socrates both agree on this idea since Plato saw Socrates as his role model. For example, "Socrates, whose teaching deeply impressed Plato"(Haberman & Stevenson, pg 79) helped Plato see that with every decision a consequence could arise and if so it was better to face it than just avoiding it. Even though for the most part people lack in controlling their emotions and desires which makes them take the wrong initiative.