Combining Texts

Ideas for '', 'Scientific Attitude and Fallibilism' and 'The Republic'

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2 ideas

7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 3. Being / c. Becoming
To become rational, philosophers must rise from becoming into being [Plato]
     Full Idea: Philosophers must rise up out of becoming and grasp being, if they are ever to become rational.
     From: Plato (The Republic [c.374 BCE], 525b)
     A reaction: I am never quite sure what 'being' means in such contexts, and it seems suffused with mysticism. In Plato's case, it is obviously related to what is unchanging, but why would something lack 'being', just because it underwent change?
7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 3. Being / f. Primary being
Being depends on the Good, which is not itself being, but superior to being [Plato]
     Full Idea: Not only do the objects of knowledge owe their being known to the good, but their being is also due to it, although the good is not being, but superior to it in rank and power.
     From: Plato (The Republic [c.374 BCE], 509b)
     A reaction: I was surprised to find that in Plotinus the One is not being, because it is the source of being, and thus superior to being. Then a footnote sent me here, and I realise that Plato thought that the Form of the Good is superior to Being.