Free Essays on Plato to Get Inspired & Learn by Example

The Apology is a piece of literature written by Plato. Plato’s’ Apology is the interpretation and reminiscence of Socrates trial. Plato writes about life and trial of Socrates. In the apology, Socrates defends himself and his conduct, and does not apologize for his actions. The apology begins with Socrates giving an account of charges brought up against him in court. Socrates defended himself in the court and gave reasons why he followed his philosophy, but in the end, he was sentenced and executed. Among the charges leveled against Socrates that Plato writes about are teaching people not to Continue reading...

During the Greek classical period, having the skill to speak cleverly was an essential tool to possess. Clear speech was an important tool for individuals. The sophists possessed this skill and rhetoric teaching was essential in their search for knowledge and democracy. Gorgias takes a look into the nature of rhetoric and touches on issues such power, justice and art. Plato’s own positions on the issues are represented through Socrates, who was his teacher and as usual with Plato, he aimed at underlining his definition of respectable and most acceptable human life.
The first portion of the dialogue Continue reading...

Describe the general structure of the ideal state as Plato presents it in the Republic. What are the cardinal virtues and how do they relate to Plato's theory of the ideal state?
“The Republic” is Plato’s most renowned work on its comprehensive philosophical viewpoint. It is a full file of the most fundamental behaviors and principles in human life. Plato described his ideal state and its common structure. He included the value and characteristic of justice and the accompanying virtues as they materialize jointly in the constitution of society in unison with the individuality of a human being.
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William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” and Plato’s “The Myth of the Cave” are very different stories in almost every way. Faulkner wrote about the physical and mental decay of an upper class woman from a bygone generation, and Plato wrote about philosophical knowledge versus worldly needs in the governing of society. The stories were written thousands of years apart and the elements of the stories illustrate the passage of time between them. A comparison of the theme, setting, style of writing, and characters display how different the stories are; however, both stories include descriptive imagery that Continue reading...

The Allegory of the Cave, written by Plato, is one of the great philosophical documents of Western civilization. The allegory describes people chained to a wall, facing a direction where all they can see are reflections of reality. The Allegory of the Cave addresses the key issues of what is real, and how does one find the truth in a world full of people who “follow the shadows.” Plato’s message is still applicable today. The idea of figuring out true meaning for oneself, instead of relying on the patterns and behaviors of others, is still hard to do Continue reading...

Introduction

According to the Plato’s Symposium, one of the most outlandish aspects of his ethical philosophy is that it gives beauty and erotic love a central place. The young custodians in the Nation must cultivate a sexual desire for the beautiful in advance before their teaching in philosophy, a desire first conveyed in love for attractive souls in beautiful physiques. In the Phaedrus Socrates associates beauty to the power to rouse the soul’s sensual psychosis and by this means to release us from our tainted, bodily fact.
Even though Plato seemingly tries to explain the ethical implication of Continue reading...

The story of the cave, or sometimes called the myth or the allegory of the cave, is a passage in Plato’s Republic in which Socrates gives an account, in the form of storytelling, of the metaphysical and political implications of the human person within the confines of this reality. The cave story is an analogy of philosophical import. It is meant to illustrate the crucial points of Plato’s ontology. For in Plato, the world that we live is not a perfect world, and in effect, we live in a world o shadows that is a mere copy Continue reading...

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The problem of the one and many refers to one of the major existential dilemmas of philosophy. It is the quest for the answer to the question about the major elements which control the world. The problem of the One and Many is the question of whether the world is governed by a single entity which is the supreme power or whether there are various elements and powers which control the world. The question has various other questions attached to them which have been a serious issue of concern for Continue reading...

The methods that people use to acquire knowledge about virtue forms the base from which the “Meno” discussions emerge. Evidently, all human civilizations need virtue for their survival, making the ability to discern between rights and wrong a significant factor in the delicate thread that intertwines societies. Thus said, it is no wonder that the ensuing passages recording Socrates’ counterarguments in “Meno” have spurred debates on the implications and validity of his reasoning. Nonetheless, the discussion revolves around two major themes that seek to explain not only the nature of virtue, but also the means through which humanity manages Continue reading...

The main theme of Plato's "Symposium" – is a reasoning about a benefit and love. Dialogue represents a story about a symposium with Socrates, arranged on the occasion of winning a competition in the Athenian theater of the tragic poet Agathon. A talk about this symposium organized by Plato is performed by Apollodorus and his friend Glaucon. To formulate what are the ideas of material things was relatively simply for Plato, but much more difficult problem was to understand an idea of the human soul. Dialogue “Symposium” is devoted to this specific issue. According to Plato's opinion expressed in this Continue reading...