Why platonism/platonic concepts are fodder and don't scale anywhere

Summary

The video script critiques Platonism, a philosophy asserting that abstract forms or ideas are the true reality from which material objects derive. It argues that while Plato was right about the abstract nature of concepts like mathematics, he erred by considering all concepts as objective, including subjective ones like beauty and victory. The speaker contends that Platonism fails because it cannot account for the existence of subjective concepts and their lack of universal applicability. The argument concludes that Platonism's value is limited, especially without a proper understanding of the distinction between objective and subjective concepts.

Takeaways

• 📚 Platonism is a philosophical theory suggesting that material objects are derived from abstract, immaterial concepts or 'forms'.
• 📐 Plato used mathematics as an example of abstract concepts, positing that they exist in a realm called the 'hyperuranium' or 'world of ideas'.
• 🤔 The speaker argues that Platonism fails because it assumes all concepts are objective and universally applicable, ignoring the existence of subjective concepts.
• 🧐 Objective concepts are described as universally valid and applicable, such as mathematics and space-time, with underlying universal rules or axioms.
• 💭 Subjective concepts, on the other hand, are considered to lack universal applicability, such as the concepts of beauty, victory, or glory, which are human constructs.
• 🔍 The script highlights the issue with Platonism's view that subjective concepts like beauty are objective, suggesting that transcending such concepts is nonsensical.
• 🌐 It is argued that transcending dimensions or space-time implies being above the origin of physical structures, which is a flawed notion when applied to subjective concepts.
• 🚫 The speaker asserts that subjective concepts do not exist in a transcendent or objective sense, challenging the foundational assumptions of Platonism.
• 🔄 The script suggests that there is no correlation between Platonic concepts and higher scaling or outaversal concepts, indicating a disconnect in Platonic thought.
• 🔄 The final point made is that subjective concepts are non-existent in an objective sense, and that value cannot be created without a real and correct skill to follow.

Q & A

What is Platonism and why is it considered useless by the speaker?

Platonism is a philosophical theory that suggests every material object is derived from a perfect, abstract, and immaterial concept or form. The speaker considers it useless because it fails to account for concepts that do not have universal or existential applicability, treating them as if they were objective when they are actually subjective.

What does the speaker mean by 'hyperuranium' or 'world of ideas'?

The 'hyperuranium' or 'world of ideas' refers to Plato's concept of a realm where perfect forms or ideas exist, separate from the material world. It is the place where Plato believed the true essence of all things resided.

Why does the speaker argue that Plato was only partly right?

The speaker acknowledges that Plato was correct in considering abstract concepts like mathematics and time as existing independently of the physical world. However, the issue arises when Plato extended this idea to subjective concepts, treating them as if they were objective and part of the perfect forms.

What is the difference between objective and subjective concepts according to the script?

Objective concepts are those that are universally or essentially valid and applicable in all cases, such as mathematics and space-time. Subjective concepts, on the other hand, lack universal applicability and are more related to human ideation, such as the concepts of beauty, victory, or glory.

How does the speaker refute the idea of transcending subjective concepts like beauty?

The speaker argues that transcending subjective concepts is nonsensical because these concepts do not have a physical property, axiom, or universal principle. They are human constructs and do not exist in a way that can be transcended or scaled.

What does the speaker imply about the existence of subjective concepts?

The speaker implies that subjective concepts do not have an actual existence; they are human ideations and lack any objective value or universal principle, thus they cannot be said to exist in any real or objective sense.

What is the speaker's stance on the correlation between Platonic concepts and higher scaling?

The speaker believes that there is no correlation between Platonic concepts and higher scaling, especially when it comes to subjective concepts, as they do not have a basis in objective reality.

Why does the speaker say that Plato ignored the practical implications of his theory?

The speaker suggests that Plato ignored the practical implications by treating all concepts as if they were copies of perfect forms, without considering the subjective nature of some concepts and their lack of existential applicability.

What is the speaker's final point regarding the existence of concepts?

The speaker's final point is that there is only one thing that truly exists, which is that which is, and there is no such thing as that which exists but cannot be, implying that subjective concepts do not truly exist.

How does the speaker view the practicality of Platonism in everyday life?

The speaker views Platonism as impractical in everyday life, especially when it comes to subjective concepts, because it does not provide a real or correct skill to follow in the first place.

What does the speaker suggest about the value of beauty?

The speaker suggests that the value of beauty is subjective and does not exist in an objective way. It is a human construct and cannot be used as a basis for creating value at will.