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Single Idea 1637

[filed under theme 12. Knowledge Sources / C. Rationalism / 1. Rationalism ]

Full Idea

The soul that lacks understanding must be set down as ugly.

Clarification

'Soul' is the Greek word 'psuché', which covers mind and consciousness and life

Gist of Idea

A soul without understanding is ugly

Source

Plato (The Sophist [c.359 BCE], 228d)

Book Ref

Plato: 'The Sophist', ed/tr. Bernadete,Seth [University of Chicago 1986], p.18


A Reaction

The teleological view of things understands their nature in things of their perfection. and the essence of beauty is perfection. It is the mind's nature to know. Failing to know is as ugly as allowing your crops to die.


The 16 ideas from 'The Sophist'

Wickedness is an illness of the soul [Plato]
A soul without understanding is ugly [Plato]
Didactic education is hard work and achieves little [Plato]
In discussion a person's opinions are shown to be in conflict, leading to calm self-criticism [Plato]
What does 'that which is not' refer to? [Plato]
Some alarming thinkers think that only things which you can touch exist [Plato]
To be is to have a capacity, to act on other things, or to receive actions [Plato]
We must fight fiercely for knowledge, understanding and intelligence [Plato]
If statements about non-existence are logically puzzling, so are statements about existence [Plato]
Good analysis involves dividing things into appropriate forms without confusion [Plato]
Good thinkers spot forms spread through things, or included within some larger form [Plato]
Dialectic should only be taught to those who already philosophise well [Plato]
The not-beautiful is part of the beautiful, though opposed to it, and is just as real [Plato]
If we see everything as separate, we can then give no account of it [Plato]
The desire to split everything into its parts is unpleasant and unphilosophical [Plato]
Whenever there's speech it has to be about something [Plato]