Hi Elephant:
An amazing explanation of Plato. Having tried to read him in the
original and being totally befuddled I’m simply overwhelmed by
your interpretation of his work. I got more out of one reading of
your posts than a full semester of study. I’m really grateful to you
for taking the time and the trouble to respond to my questions in
such a comprehensive and comprehensible way. Would that all
philosophers could transmit their ideas as well. I bow before your
knowledge, expertise and authorship, and I feel it’s a privilege to
have the benefit of your thoughts on this site.
What struck me most from my first reading of your posts is the
paradox implicit in Plato’s use of language to deny language’s
power to reveal truth, the same sort of paradox infecting
deconstructionism. As Roger Scruton (not one of your favorites I’m
sure because of his political views) wrote, “The man who tells you
truth does not exist is asking you not to believe him. So don’t.”
>From what you say, Plato didn’t go quite so far as saying truth
doesn’t exist. But, he came close if I read you aright.
And now permit me to offer a brief passage from "Symposium" as
a meager defense of my belief that at least one of Plato’s
conceptions of “truth” was “beauty:”
“For he who would proceed aright in this matter should begin in
youth to visit beautiful forms; and first, if he be guided by his
instructor aright, to love one such form only-out of that he should
create fair thoughts; and soon he will of himself perceive that the
beauty of one form is akin to the beauty of another; and then if
beauty of form in general is his pursuit, how foolish would he be
not to recognize that the beauty in every form is and the same! And
when he perceives this he will abate his violent love of the one,
which he will despise and deem a small thing, and will become a
lover of all beautiful forms; in the next stage he will consider that
the beauty of the mind is more honourable than the beauty of the
outward form. So that if a virtuous soul have but a little
comeliness, he will be content to love and tend him, and will
search out and bring to the birth thoughts which may improve the
young, until he is compelled to contemplate and see the beauty of
institutions and laws, and to understand that the beauty of them all
is of one family, and that personal beauty is a trifle; and after laws
and institutions he will go on to the sciences, that he may see
their beauty, being not like a servant in love with the beauty of one
youth or man or institution, himself a slave mean and narrow-
minded, but drawing towards and contemplating the vast sea of
beauty, he will create many fair and noble thoughts and notions in
boundless love of wisdom; until on that shore he grows and
waxes strong, and at last the vision is revealed.”
Thanks for expanding my vision, Elephant. For all
misinterpretations of yours and Plato’s thoughts I apologize in
advance.
Platt
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