Plato’s best (and worst) ideas - Wisecrack

Summary

Plato, a foundational figure in Western philosophy, is renowned for his theory of Forms, positing an ideal, unchanging realm beyond our flawed reality. He advocated for philosopher-kings to govern, envisioning a utopian society in 'The Republic.' Despite his influential political theories, Plato's views on women's capabilities and the 'noble lie' to maintain societal structure have been criticized. His ideas, both progressive and problematic, have shaped and continue to influence modern thought.

Takeaways

• 📚 Plato is considered one of the most influential philosophers in history, with some describing Western philosophy as a series of footnotes to his work.
• 🏛️ He founded the first Western university and was a teacher to great minds such as Aristotle.
• 🌐 Plato proposed the existence of a perfect, unchanging world of Forms, which are ideal versions of the things and concepts we see in our imperfect world.
• 🤔 He believed that philosophers should use reason to understand these Forms, rather than relying on their senses.
• 🐦 Plato humorously classified humans as 'featherless bipeds,' which was mocked by Diogenes the Cynic with a plucked chicken.
• 🏛️ As a political theorist, Plato argued that only those who have mastered the craft of ruling, which involves contemplating the Forms, should lead.
• 🌳 In 'The Republic,' Plato envisioned a utopian society led by a philosopher king, emphasizing justice and harmony.
• 🚺 He was progressive for his time, suggesting that women were equally capable of ruling, although he also made inconsistent statements about women elsewhere.
• 🤝 Plato suggested society should be divided into producers, military, and rulers, supported by a 'noble lie' about the metals in people's souls determining their roles.
• 🔧 Despite some outdated or flawed ideas, Plato's work has been foundational, allowing future thinkers to refine and build upon his theories.

Q & A

Who did Plato influence according to the script?

Plato influenced many of today's thinkers, with one 20th-century philosopher even describing all of Western philosophy as a series of footnotes to Plato.

What was Plato's major contribution to education?

Plato created the first Western university and taught Ancient Greece's greatest minds, including Aristotle.

What is Plato's theory of Forms?

Plato argued that beyond our imperfect world is a perfect, unchanging world of Forms, which are the ideal versions of the things and concepts we see around us. Our reality is made up of imperfect copies of these ideal Forms.

What was Plato's view on how philosophers should navigate reality?

Plato believed that philosophers should strive to contemplate and understand the perfect Forms so they may better navigate our misleading reality.

What did Plato say about the human species in comparison to animals?

Plato described humans as 'featherless bipeds.' However, this definition was famously mocked by Diogenes the Cynic, who brought a plucked chicken to Plato's class, calling it 'Plato's man.'

What was Plato's ideal form of government?

In his Republic, Plato imagined a utopia where justice is the ultimate goal, and the city is led by a philosopher king. He believed rulers should be skilled in the craft of contemplating the Forms.

What was Plato’s view on women’s ability to rule?

Plato reasoned that women were equally able to rule in his ideal model city, making him one of the earliest to advocate gender equality in leadership.

What was one of Plato's mistaken beliefs about women's health?

Plato believed that a woman's womb was a live animal that could wander around in her body and cause illness, a misconception that influenced European medicine for hundreds of years.

How did Plato propose society should be structured?

Plato proposed that society should be divided into three groups: producers, the military, and rulers. He also suggested a 'noble lie' that people are born with gold, silver, or a mixture of brass and iron in their souls, which determines their role in life.

Did Plato’s 'noble lie' have any modern implications?

Some thinkers credit Plato’s idea of the 'noble lie' as a prototype for 20th-century propaganda, with the philosopher king serving as an inspiration for dictators who manipulated these ideas.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Plato's Influence and Philosophical Ideas

Plato, a foundational figure in Western philosophy, is renowned for his profound impact on thinkers across the ages. He is credited with establishing the first Western university and mentoring eminent minds like Aristotle. Plato introduced the concept of a perfect, unchanging world of Forms, which are ideal versions of the things we perceive. He believed that philosophers should aim to understand these Forms to navigate our flawed reality. Plato also grappled with the challenge of discerning truth, advocating for reason over sensory experience. His ideas have been both celebrated and critiqued, with some, like his classification of humans as 'featherless bipeds,' being humorously challenged by contemporaries like Diogenes the Cynic.

Keywords

💡Plato

Plato was an ancient Greek philosopher who is considered one of the founders of Western philosophy. In the video, Plato is credited with creating the first Western university and influencing many great minds, including Aristotle. His ideas, such as the concept of Forms and the philosopher king, are central to the video's theme of exploring the legacy and impact of his philosophical ideas.

💡Forms

Forms, in Plato's philosophy, refer to the perfect, unchanging, and eternal essences of all things, which exist beyond the physical world. The video explains that these Forms serve as an ideal blueprint for the imperfect copies we experience in our reality. Plato argued that philosophers should strive to understand these Forms to navigate our world more effectively.

💡Philosopher King

The concept of a 'philosopher king' is a central theme in Plato's work 'The Republic,' where he envisions an ideal ruler who is a philosopher. This ruler is someone who has mastered the contemplation of Forms and can govern with wisdom and justice. The video discusses this idea as part of Plato's vision for an ideal society.

💡Republic

Plato's 'Republic' is a philosophical text in which he outlines his vision for an ideal state. The video references this work to discuss Plato's ideas on justice, the role of the philosopher king, and the division of society into three classes: producers, warriors, and rulers.

💡Noble Lie

The 'noble lie' is a concept from Plato's 'Republic,' where he proposes a myth to convince citizens of their place in society. The video mentions that this lie involves the idea that people are born with metals in their souls, which determine their social roles. This concept is critiqued in the video for its potential to be used as propaganda in later times.

💡Diogenes the Cynic

Diogenes the Cynic was a philosopher known for his criticism of Plato's ideas. The video recounts a humorous anecdote where Diogenes challenges Plato's definition of humans as 'featherless bipeds' by bringing a plucked chicken to his class, illustrating the tension between Plato's philosophical ideas and practical reality.

💡Political Science

Political science is the study of politics and governance. The video positions Plato as one of the founders of this field, noting his early contributions to political theory, particularly in his ideas about rulership and the structure of an ideal society.

💡Women's Equality

The video discusses Plato's progressive views on women's equality in his model city, where he suggests that women are equally capable of ruling. However, it also points out the inconsistencies in his views, such as likening women to children and his belief in the wandering womb, which had negative impacts on women's status in society.

💡Wandering Womb

The 'wandering womb' is a concept attributed to Plato, suggesting that a woman's womb could move around her body and cause illness. The video criticizes this idea as a bad one that influenced European medicine for centuries, highlighting the importance of separating Plato's influential ideas from those that have not stood the test of time.

💡Reason vs. Senses

The video explores the philosophical debate between trusting our senses to perceive reality versus using reason to understand the truth. Plato is portrayed as advocating for reason, which he believed could allow us to contemplate the Forms and perceive the greater truth beyond our sensory experiences.

Highlights

Plato's influence on Western philosophy is so profound that one philosopher described it as a series of footnotes to Plato.

Plato founded the first Western university and was a teacher to some of Ancient Greece's greatest minds, including Aristotle.

Plato's concept of Forms posits a perfect, unchanging world beyond our imperfect reality.

Forms are ideal versions of things and concepts that serve as an instruction manual to our world.

Plato argued that our reality is made up of imperfect copies of these ideal Forms.

Philosophers should use reason to understand perfect Forms and navigate our misleading reality, according to Plato.

The disconnect between appearance and truth is a central problem in philosophy, explored by theologians, philosophers, and screenwriters.

Plato's classification of humans as 'featherless bipeds' was humorously challenged by Diogenes the Cynic.

Plato is recognized as one of the earliest political theorists and a founder of political science.

He believed that only those who have mastered the craft of ruling, which involves contemplating Forms, are fit to lead.

In Plato's Republic, he envisions a utopia where justice is the ultimate goal and the city is led by a philosopher king.

Plato was millennia ahead of his time in suggesting that women were equally capable of ruling in his ideal city.

Plato's inconsistent views on women included likening them to children and believing their wombs were live animals.

Plato proposed a societal structure divided into producers, the military, and rulers, governed by a 'noble lie'.

The 'noble lie' suggested that people are born with predetermined roles in life, based on the metals in their souls.

Some thinkers see Plato's 'noble lie' as a precursor to 20th-century propaganda and the philosopher king as an inspiration for dictators.

Despite some flawed ideas, Plato's status as one of the greatest philosophers is not diminished; his ideas have been tested and refined over centuries.

Plato's ideas have become foundational to the modern world, as we continue to refine and build upon them.

Transcripts

Few individuals have influenced the world and many of today's thinkers like Plato.

One 20th century philosopher even went so far

as to describe all of Western philosophy as a series of footnotes to Plato.

He created the first Western university

and was teacher to Ancient Greece's greatest minds,

including Aristotle.

But even one of the founders of philosophy wasn't perfect.

Along with his great ideas,

Plato had a few that haven't exactly stood the test of time.

So here are brief rundowns of a few of his best and worst ideas.

Plato argued that beyond our imperfect world

was a perfect unchanging world of Forms.

Forms are the ideal versions of the things and concepts we see around us.

They serve as a sort of instruction manual to our own world.

Floating around the world of Forms is the ideal tree,

and the ideal YouTube channel,

and even the ideal justice,

or ideal love.

Our own reality is comprised of imperfect copies of ideal Forms.

Plato argued that philosophers should strive to contemplate

and understand these perfect Forms

so that they may better navigate our misleading reality.

While it may seem silly,

the disconnect between the world as it appears

and the greater truth behind it

is one of philosophy's most vexing problems.

It's been the subject of thousands of pages by theologians,

philosophers,

and screenwriters alike.

It raises questions like should we trust our senses to come to the truth

or our own reason?

For Plato, the answer is reason.

It alone provides us with at least the potential to contemplate the Forms.

But reason didn't always pan out for Plato himself.

When he sought to situate humankind amongst the animals,

he lumped us in with birds.

"Featherless bipeds" was his official designation.

Diogenes the Cynic, annoyed by this definition,

stormed into Plato's class with a plucked chicken,

announcing, "Behold. Plato's man."

But back to a few good ideas.

Plato is one of the earliest political theorists on record,

and with Aristotle, is seen as one of the founders of political science.

He reasoned that being a ruler was no different than any other craft,

whether a potter or doctor,

and that only those who had mastered the craft were fit to lead.

Ruling was the craft of contemplating the Forms.

In his Republic, Plato imagined a utopia where justice is the ultimate goal.

Plato's ideal city seeks a harmonious balance between its individual parts

and should be lead by a philosopher king.

Millennia before his time,

Plato also reasoned that women were equally able to rule in this model city.

Unfortunately, Plato was inconsistent with women,

elsewhere likening them to children.

He also believed that a woman's womb was a live animal

that could wander around in her body and cause illness.

This bad idea, also espoused by other contemporaries of Plato,

was sadly influential for hundreds of years in European medicine.

Furthermore, he thought that society should be divided into three groups:

producers,

the military,

and the rulers,

and that a great noble lie should convince everyone to follow this structure.

The noble lie he proposed

was that we're all born with gold, silver, or a mixture of brass and iron

in our souls,

which determine our roles in life.

Some thinkers have gone on to credit the idea of the noble lie

as a prototype for 20th century propaganda,

and the philosopher king as inspiration for the dictators that used them.

Should a few bad ideas

tarnish Plato's status as one of the greatest philosophers in history?

No!

Plato gave the leaders and thinkers who came after him a place to start.

Through the centuries,

we've had the chance to test those ideas through writing and experience,

and have accepted some while rejecting others.

We are continuing to refine, amend, and edit his ideas

which have become foundations of the modern world.