Ideas from 'The Republic' by Plato [374 BCE], by Theme Structure
[found in 'Complete Works' by Plato (ed/tr Cooper,John M.) [Hackett 1997,0-87220-349-2]].
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1. Philosophy / A. Wisdom / 2. Wise People
2136
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Philosophers become as divine and orderly as possible, by studying divinity and order
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1. Philosophy / D. Nature of Philosophy / 5. Aims of Philosophy / e. Philosophy as reason
23767
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The winds of the discussion should decide its destination
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1. Philosophy / F. Analytic Philosophy / 4. Conceptual Analysis
23682
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It would be absurd to be precise about the small things, but only vague about the big things
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2. Reason / C. Styles of Reason / 1. Dialectic
2154
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The ability to take an overview is the distinguishing mark of a dialectician
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2151
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Dialectic is the only method of inquiry which uproots the things which it takes for granted
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4011
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For Plato, rationality is a vision of and love of a cosmic rational order [Taylor,C]
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2. Reason / C. Styles of Reason / 2. Elenchus
2093
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You must never go against what you actually believe
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2. Reason / C. Styles of Reason / 3. Eristic
2130
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People often merely practice eristic instead of dialectic, because they don't analyse the subject-matter
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4. Formal Logic / B. Propositional Logic PL / 2. Tools of Propositional Logic / e. Axioms of PL
2145
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In mathematics certain things have to be accepted without further explanation
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6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 2. Geometry
8726
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Geometry can lead the mind upwards to truth and philosophy
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6. Mathematics / C. Sources of Mathematics / 1. Mathematical Platonism / a. For mathematical platonism
9863
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We aim for elevated discussion of pure numbers, not attaching them to physical objects
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9864
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In pure numbers, all ones are equal, with no internal parts
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8727
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Geometry is not an activity, but the study of unchanging knowledge
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6. Mathematics / C. Sources of Mathematics / 4. Mathematical Empiricism / c. Against mathematical empiricism
9861
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The same thing is both one and an unlimited number at the same time
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7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 3. Being / c. Becoming
9862
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To become rational, philosophers must rise from becoming into being
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7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 3. Being / f. Primary being
21818
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Being depends on the Good, which is not itself being, but superior to being
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7. Existence / B. Change in Existence / 1. Nature of Change
2061
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The best things (gods, healthy bodies, good souls) are least liable to change
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7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 3. Reality
6562
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Plato's reality has unchanging Parmenidean forms, and Heraclitean flux [Fogelin]
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8. Modes of Existence / D. Universals / 2. Need for Universals
2142
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The plurality of beautiful things must belong to a single class, because they have a single particular character
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8. Modes of Existence / D. Universals / 6. Platonic Forms / a. Platonic Forms
5094
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Plato's Forms are said to have no location in space [Aristotle]
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12043
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Forms are not universals, as they don't cover every general term [Annas]
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2159
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Craftsmen making furniture refer to the form, but no one manufactures the form of furniture
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8. Modes of Existence / D. Universals / 6. Platonic Forms / b. Partaking
17
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A Form applies to a set of particular things with the same name
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8. Modes of Existence / D. Universals / 6. Platonic Forms / d. Forms critiques
12122
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Plato mistakenly thought forms were totally abstracted away from matter [Bacon]
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5574
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Plato's Forms not only do not come from the senses, but they are beyond possibility of sensing [Kant]
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11. Knowledge Aims / A. Knowledge / 1. Knowledge
2133
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Knowledge must be of the permanent unchanging nature of things
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12. Knowledge Sources / C. Rationalism / 1. Rationalism
2162
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If theory and practice conflict, the best part of the mind accepts theory, so the other part is of lower grade
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13. Knowledge Criteria / A. Justification Problems / 1. Justification / b. Need for justification
2140
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True belief without knowledge is like blind people on the right road
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15. Nature of Minds / A. Nature of Mind / 1. Mind / e. Questions about mind
2096
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Is the function of the mind management, authority and planning - or is it one's whole way of life?
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15. Nature of Minds / A. Nature of Mind / 2. Psuche
6009
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Psychic conflict is clear if appetite is close to the body and reason fairly separate [Modrak]
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6041
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There is a third element to the mind - spirit - lying between reason and appetite
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15. Nature of Minds / A. Nature of Mind / 5. Unity of Mind
2127
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The mind has parts, because we have inner conflicts
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1737
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The soul seems to have an infinity of parts [Aristotle]
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19. Language / F. Communication / 1. Rhetoric
5945
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The 'Republic' is a great work of rhetorical theory [Lawson-Tancred]
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20. Action / B. Preliminaries of Action / 2. Willed Action / a. Will to Act
23316
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For Plato and Aristotle there is no will; there is only rational desire for what is seen as good [Frede,M]
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20. Action / C. Motives for Action / 2. Acting on Beliefs / a. Acting on beliefs
16
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We avoid evil either through a natural aversion, or because we have acquired knowledge
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21. Aesthetics / B. Nature of Art / 8. The Arts / b. Literature
16565
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Without the surface decoration, poetry shows only appearances and nothing of what is real
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21. Aesthetics / C. Artistic Issues / 3. Artistic Representation
2160
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Representation is two steps removed from the truth
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21. Aesthetics / C. Artistic Issues / 6. Value of Art
2135
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Truth is closely related to proportion
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2163
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Artists should be excluded from a law-abiding community, because they destroy the rational mind
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22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 1. Nature of Ethics / b. Defining ethics
2141
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I suggest that we forget about trying to define goodness itself for the time being
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22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 2. Source of Ethics / a. Idealistic ethics
1869
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The good cannot be expressed in words, but imprints itself upon the soul [Celsus]
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22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 2. Source of Ethics / f. Übermensch
4115
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Plato found that he could only enforce rational moral justification by creating an authoritarian society [Williams,B]
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22. Metaethics / B. Value / 1. Nature of Value / b. Fact and value
4547
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Plato measured the degree of reality by the degree of value [Nietzsche]
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22. Metaethics / B. Value / 2. Values / b. Successful function
2094
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A thing's function is what it alone can do, or what it does better than other things
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2095
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If something has a function then it has a state of being good
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22. Metaethics / B. Value / 2. Values / d. Health
2129
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Goodness is mental health, badness is mental sickness
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22. Metaethics / B. Value / 2. Values / i. Self-interest
12
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If we were invisible, would the just man become like the unjust?
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2168
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Clever criminals do well at first, but not in the long run
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22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 1. Goodness / a. Form of the Good
2143
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Good has the same role in the world of knowledge as the sun has in the physical world
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2164
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Bad is always destructive, where good preserves and benefits
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2144
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Goodness makes truth and knowledge possible
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2147
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The sight of goodness leads to all that is fine and true and right
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2137
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The main aim is to understand goodness, which gives everything its value and advantage
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4007
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For Plato we abandon honour and pleasure once we see the Good [Taylor,C]
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2139
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Every person, and every activity, aims at the good
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22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 1. Goodness / e. Good as knowledge
2138
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Pleasure is commonly thought to be the good, though the more ingenious prefer knowledge
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22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 1. Goodness / f. Good as pleasure
2070
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Even people who think pleasure is the good admit that there are bad pleasures
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22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 3. Pleasure / b. Types of pleasure
2157
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Nice smells are intensive, have no preceding pain, and no bad after-effect
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22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 3. Pleasure / c. Value of pleasure
2134
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Philosophers are concerned with totally non-physical pleasures
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22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 3. Pleasure / d. Sources of pleasure
2156
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There are three types of pleasure, for reason, for spirit and for appetite
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22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 3. Pleasure / f. Dangers of pleasure
2158
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Pleasure-seekers desperately seek illusory satisfaction, like filling a leaky vessel
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2123
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Excessive pleasure deranges people, making the other virtues impossible
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23. Ethics / A. Egoism / 1. Ethical Egoism
2166
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We should behave well even if invisible, for the health of the mind
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23. Ethics / B. Contract Ethics / 1. Contractarianism
5
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Justice is merely the interests of the stronger party
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19946
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Morality is a compromise, showing restraint, to avoid suffering wrong without compensation
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2097
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Isn't it better to have a reputation for goodness than to actually be good?
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23. Ethics / B. Contract Ethics / 3. Promise Keeping
7
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Surely you don't return a borrowed weapon to a mad friend?
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23. Ethics / B. Contract Ethics / 4. Value of Authority
8
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Is right just the interests of the powerful?
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23. Ethics / B. Contract Ethics / 5. Free Rider
15
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Sin first, then sacrifice to the gods from the proceeds
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23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 2. Elements of Virtue Theory / c. Motivation for virtue
5944
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For Plato, virtue is its own reward [Lawson-Tancred]
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23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 2. Elements of Virtue Theory / j. Unity of virtue
2155
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True goodness requires mental unity and harmony
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23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 3. Virtues / a. Virtues
2126
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A good community necessarily has wisdom, courage, self-discipline and morality
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23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 3. Virtues / c. Justice
2092
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Simonides said morality is helping one's friends and harming one's enemies
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23562
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If the parts of our soul do their correct work, we will be just people, and will act justly
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24. Political Theory / A. Basis of a State / 1. A People / b. The natural life
19889
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People need society because the individual has too many needs
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24. Political Theory / B. Nature of a State / 1. Purpose of a State
19890
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All exchanges in a community are for mutual benefit
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24. Political Theory / B. Nature of a State / 2. State Legitimacy / c. Social contract
10
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After a taste of mutual harm, men make a legal contract to avoid it
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24. Political Theory / B. Nature of a State / 4. Citizenship
23561
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People doing their jobs properly is the fourth cardinal virtue for a city
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24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 2. Leaders / d. Elites
2132
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Only rule by philosophers of integrity can keep a community healthy
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2149
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Reluctant rulers make a better and more unified administration
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24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 7. Communitarianism / a. Communitarianism
2131
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Is there anything better for a community than to produce excellent people?
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25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 5. Education / b. Education principles
2148
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To gain knowledge, turn away from the world of change, and focus on true goodness
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2152
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Dialectic is the highest and most important part of the curriculum
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25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 5. Education / c. Teaching
2153
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Compulsory intellectual work never remains in the mind
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28. God / A. Divine Nature / 4. Divine Contradictions
2630
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If Plato's God is immaterial, he will lack consciousness, wisdom, pleasure and movement, which are essential to him [Cicero]
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28. God / C. Attitudes to God / 3. Deism
14
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If the gods are non-existent or indifferent, why bother to deceive them?
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29. Religion / D. Religious Issues / 2. Immortality / b. Soul
2165
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Something is unlikely to be immortal if it is imperfectly made from diverse parts
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29. Religion / D. Religious Issues / 2. Immortality / d. Heaven
13
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Is the supreme reward for virtue to be drunk for eternity?
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29. Religion / D. Religious Issues / 3. Problem of Evil / d. Natural Evil
2120
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God is responsible for the good things, but we must look elsewhere for the cause of the bad things
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