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