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Single Idea 9296

[from 'Phaedrus' by Plato, in 15. Nature of Minds / A. Nature of Mind / 2. Psuche ]

Full Idea

Self-motion is of the very nature of the soul.

Gist of Idea

The soul is self-motion

Source

Plato (Phaedrus [c.366 BCE], 245e)

Book Reference

Plato: 'Phaedrus and Letters VII and VIII', ed/tr. Hamilton,Walter [Penguin 1973], p.49


A Reaction

This culminates a length discussion of the soul. He gives an implausible argument that the soul is immortal, because it could never cease its self-motion. Why are we so unimpressed by motion, when the Greeks were amazed by it?