The pupil of Socrates, the teacher of Aristotle, is an ancient Greek thinker and philosopher Plato, whose biography is of interest to historians, stylists, writers, philosophers and politicians. This is an outstanding representative of mankind, who lived in a turbulent time of the crisis of the Greek polis, the aggravation of the class struggle, when the era of Hellenism was replaced by the era of Alexander the Great. The philosopher Plato lived a fruitful life. The biography briefly presented in the article testifies to his greatness as a scientist and the wisdom of his heart.
Life path
Plato was born in 428/427 BC. in Athens. He was not only a full citizen of Athens, but also belonged to an ancient aristocratic family: his father, Ariston, was a descendant of the last Athenian king Codri, and his mother, Pericles, was a relative of Solon.
A brief biography of Plato is typical of representatives of his time and class. Having received an education appropriate to his position, Plato, at about the age of 20, became acquainted with the teachings of Socrates and became his student and follower. Plato was among the Athenians who offered money guarantee for the condemned to death of Socrates. After the teacher was executed, he left his hometown and went on a journey without a specific purpose: first he moved to Megara, then he traveled to Cyrene and even to Egypt. Having got everything he could from the Egyptian priests, he went to Italy, where he became close to the philosophers of the Pythagorean school. The facts from Plato’s life related to travel end there: he wandered around the world a lot, but remained an Athenian in his heart.
When Plato was already about 40 years old (it is noteworthy that it was to this age that the Greeks attributed the highest peak of personality - akme), he returned to Athens and opened his own school there, called the Academy. Until the end of his life, Plato practically did not leave Athens, lived in solitude, surrounded himself by his disciples. He honored the memory of the deceased teacher, but he popularized his ideas only in a narrow circle of followers and did not seek to take them to the streets of the polis, like Socrates. Plato died at the age of eighty, without losing clarity of mind. He was buried in Pottery, near the Academy. Such a life path has passed the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. A closer look at it is excitingly interesting, but many of the information about it is very unreliable and more like a legend.
Platonov Academy
The name "Academy" comes from the fact that the plot of land that Plato bought specifically for his school was located near a gymnasium dedicated to the hero of the Academy. On the territory of the Academy, students not only conducted philosophical conversations and listened to Plato, they were allowed to live there permanently or for a short time.
The teachings of Plato developed on the foundation of the philosophy of Socrates on the one hand and the followers of Pythagoras on the other. The father of idealism borrowed from his teacher a dialectical view of the world and an attentive attitude to the problems of ethics. But, as Plato's biography testifies, namely the years spent in Sicily among the Pythagoreans, he clearly sympathized with the philosophical doctrine of Pythagoras. At least the fact that the philosophers at the Academy lived and worked together already resembles the Pythagorean school.
The idea of ​​political education
A lot of attention at the Academy was paid to political education. But in antiquity, politics was not the destiny of a small group of delegated representatives: all adult citizens, that is, free and legitimate Athenians, took part in the policy management. Later, the student of Plato Aristotle will formulate the definition of a politician as a person who participates in the public life of the policy, as opposed to the idiot - an asocial person. That is, participation in politics was an integral part of the life of the ancient Greek, and political education meant the development of justice, nobility, firmness of mind and sharpness of mind.
Philosophical Works
For a written presentation of his views and concepts, Plato predominantly chose the form of dialogue. This is a fairly common literary device in antiquity. Plato's philosophical works of the early and late periods of his life are very different, and this is natural, because his wisdom accumulated, and his views changed over time. Among researchers, it is customary to conditionally subdivide the evolution of Platonic philosophy into three periods:
1. Discipleship (under the influence of Socrates) - “Apology of Socrates”, “Criton”, “Lysy”, “Protagoras”, “Harmid”, “Eutifron” and 1 book of the “State”.
2. Wanderings (influenced by the ideas of Heraclitus) - "Gorgias", "Kratil", "Menon".
3. Teaching (the predominant influence of the ideas of the Pythagorean school) - “Feast”, “Fedon”, “Fedr”, “Parmenides”, “Sophist”, “Politician”, “Timaeus”, “Critias”, 2-10 books of the “State” , "The laws".
Father of idealism
Plato is considered the founder of idealism, the term itself comes from a central concept in his teaching - eidos. The bottom line is that Plato represented the world divided into two spheres: the world of ideas (eidos) and the world of forms (material things). Eidos are prototypes, the source of the material world. Matter itself is formless and ethereal, the world takes on meaningful outlines only thanks to the presence of ideas.
The idea of ​​the Good takes the leading place in the world of eidos, and all the others flow from it. This Good represents the Beginning of beginnings, the Absolute Beauty, the Creator of the Universe. The eidos of every thing is its essence, and most importantly, the innermost of man is the soul. Ideas are absolute and unchanging, their being flows outside space-time boundaries, and objects are inconstant, repeatable and distorted, their existence is finite.
As for the human soul, the philosophical doctrine of Plato allegorically interprets it as a chariot with two horses driven by a charioteer. He personifies a rational beginning, in the team of his white horse symbolizes nobility and high moral qualities, and black - instincts, base desires. In the afterlife, the soul (charioteer), along with the gods, is involved in eternal truths and learns the world of eidos. After a new birth, the concept of eternal truths remains in the soul as a memory.
Cosmos is the whole existing world; there is a completely reproduced prototype. Plato’s doctrine of cosmic proportions also stems from the theory of eidos.
Beauty and Love are eternal concepts
From all this it follows that the knowledge of the world is an attempt to discern a reflection of things in things through love, fair deeds and beauty. The doctrine of Beauty occupies a central place in the philosophy of Plato: the search for beauty in man and the world around him, the creation of beauty through harmonious laws and art is the highest purpose of man. So, evolving, the soul goes from contemplating the beauty of material things to understanding beauty in art and science, to the highest point - comprehension of moral beauty. This occurs as an insight and brings the soul closer to the world of the gods.
Together with Beauty, Love is called to raise a person to the world of eidos. In this regard, the figure of the philosopher is identical to the image of Eros - he strives for good, being a mediator, a conductor from ignorance to wisdom. Love is a creative force, beautiful things and harmonious laws of human relationships are born from it. That is, Love is a key concept in the theory of knowledge, it is gradually developing from its physical (material) form to its spiritual, and after that, spiritual, which is involved in the sphere of pure ideas. This last love is the memory of ideal being, preserved by the soul.
It should be emphasized that the division of ideas and things into the world does not mean dualism (which so often subsequently was blamed on Plato for his ideological opponents, starting with Aristotle), they are tied by primordial ties. True being - the level of eidos - exists forever, it is self-sufficient. But matter appears already as an imitation of an idea, it only “is present” in ideal being.
Political Views of Plato
Plato's biography and philosophy are inextricably linked with the comprehension of a reasonable and correct state system. The teachings of the father of idealism on the management and relationships of people are set forth in the treatise "State." Everything is built on a parallel between the individual sides of the human soul and the types of people (according to their social role).
So, the three parts of the soul are responsible for wisdom, moderation and courage. In general, these qualities embody justice. It follows that a just (ideal) state is possible when each person in it is in its place and performs once and for all established functions (in accordance with its abilities). According to the scheme outlined in the “State”, where Plato’s brief biography, the result of his life and main ideas have found their final embodiment, philosophers and bearers of wisdom should manage everything. Their rational beginning obey all citizens. An important role in the state is played by warriors (in other translations of the guard), these people are given increased attention. Warriors should be educated in the spirit of supremacy of rationality and will over instincts and emotional impulses. But this is not the coldness of a machine that seems to modern man, but not the blurred by passions understanding of the highest harmony of the world. The third category of citizens is the creators of material wealth. A just state was described precisely and schematically by the philosopher Plato. The biography of one of the greatest thinkers in the history of mankind indicates that his teachings found a wide response in the minds of contemporaries - it is known that he received many requests from the rulers of ancient policies and some eastern states to compile codes of laws for them.
The late biography of Plato, teaching at the Academy and a clear sympathy for the ideas of the Pythagoreans are associated with the theory of "ideal numbers", which was later developed by the Neoplatonists.
Myths and Beliefs
His position on myth is interesting: as a philosopher, Plato, whose biography and surviving works clearly indicate the greatest intellect, did not reject traditional mythology. But he suggested treating myth as a symbol, an allegory, and not perceiving it as a kind of axiom. The myth, according to the idea of ​​Plato, was not a historical fact. He perceived mythical images and events as a kind of philosophical doctrine that does not set forth events, but only provides food for thought and reassessment of events. In addition, many ancient Greek myths were composed by ordinary people without any style or literary processing. For these reasons, Plato considered it advisable to protect the children's mind from most of the mythological plots, saturated with fiction, often rudeness and immorality.
The first evidence of Plato in favor of the immortality of the human soul
Plato is the first ancient philosopher whose writings have reached the present not fragmentarily, but with full preservation of the text. In his dialogues "State", "Fedr" he gives 4 evidence of the immortality of the human soul. The first of them was called "cyclic." Its essence boils down to the fact that opposites can exist only in the presence of mutual conditioning. Those. more implies the existence of less; if there is death, then there is immortality. Plato cited this fact as the main argument in favor of the idea of ​​reincarnation of souls.
Second evidence
Due to the idea that knowledge is a memory. Plato taught that in the human mind there are such concepts as justice, beauty, faith. These concepts exist "on their own." They are not taught, they are felt and understood at the level of consciousness. They are absolute entities, eternal and immortal. If a soul, being born into the world, already knows about them, it means that it knew about them even before life on Earth. Since the soul knows about eternal entities, then it itself is eternal.
Third argument
Built on the opposition of the mortal body and the immortal soul. Plato taught that everything is ambivalent in the world. The body and soul during life are inextricably linked. But the body is part of nature, while the soul is part of the divine principle. The body strives for the satisfaction of base feelings and instincts, while the soul gravitates to cognition and development. The body is controlled by the soul. By the power of thought and will, man is able to prevail over the lowland of instincts. Consequently, if the body is mortal and perishable, then in contrast to it, the soul is eternal and incorrupt. If the body cannot exist without a soul, then the soul can exist separately.
Fourth, final proof
The most difficult teaching. Most clearly characterized by the dialogue of Socrates and Cebes in "Fedon". The proof proceeds from the assertion that each thing is inherent in its invariable nature. So, even will always be even, white cannot be called black and anything fair will never be evil. On this basis, death carries corruption, and life never knows death. If the body is capable of dying and decaying, then its essence is death. Life is the opposite of death, the soul is the opposite of the body. So, if the body is perishable, then the soul is immortal.
The meaning of Plato's ideas
These are, in general terms, the ideas that the ancient Greek philosopher Plato left a legacy to mankind. For two and a half millennia, the biography of this extraordinary person turned into a legend, and his teaching, in one or another of its aspects, served as the foundation for a significant part of the current philosophical concepts. His student Aristotle criticized the views of his teacher and built the philosophical system of materialism opposite to his teaching. But this fact is yet another evidence of the greatness of Plato: not every teacher is given the opportunity to educate a follower, but a worthy adversary, perhaps only to a few.
The philosophy of Plato found many followers in the era of antiquity, knowledge of the works and the main tenets of his teachings was a natural and integral part of the formation of a worthy citizen of the Greek policy. Such a significant figure in the history of philosophical thought was not completely forgotten even in the Middle Ages, when the scholastics resolutely rejected the ancient heritage. Plato inspired the philosophers of the Renaissance, gave endless food for thought to European thinkers of subsequent centuries. A glimpse of his teachings is seen in the many existing philosophical and philosophical concepts; Plato's quotes can be found in all branches of humanitarian knowledge.
What a philosopher looked like, his character
Archaeologists have found many busts of Plato, well preserved from ancient times and from the Middle Ages. Many sketches and photos of Plato were created on them. In addition, the appearance of the philosopher can be judged by annalistic sources.
According to all the data collected bit by bit, Plato was tall, athletically complex, broad in bone and shoulders. Moreover, the character was very flexible, was deprived of pride, arrogance and pride. He was very modest and always amiable, not only with his peers, but also with representatives of the lower class.
The ancient Greek philosopher Plato, whose biography and philosophy did not contradict each other, by personal life confirmed the truth of his worldviews.