Having examined Plato’s views on the mind, knowledge and reality, this third talk on Plato’s influence will look at this thinking on ethics and politics.
We will mention the distinction between the ideas of Plato and his teacher Socrates, and examine the way in which their account of virtue and of the perfect society meet in the concept of an ideal citizen. The similarities and contrasts with Aristotle’s views will be examined. Discussions of later thought will focus on the modern revival of virtue theory and examine how the first seeds of many later modern moral theories are found in Plato’s works. The value of pleasure and the role of reason will be important topics. The main texts will be Republic and Gorgias.
Note: please print the supporting material which will be referred to throughout the presentation. In order to print it you will need to choose the Download option instead of the Open option. You will then need to go to your download file to open and print it.