Plato’s last dialogue,the Laws,occupies an anomalous position within his larger body of work.An individual identified as the“Athenian stranger”replaces Socrates and reverses key Socratic teachings,most notably by e...Plato’s last dialogue,the Laws,occupies an anomalous position within his larger body of work.An individual identified as the“Athenian stranger”replaces Socrates and reverses key Socratic teachings,most notably by endorsing tyranny.Scholars conclude that Plato abandoned his earlier political recommendations in favor of a more pragmatic vision.In that case,the Laws should be treated as Plato’s definitive work,the ultimate statement of his thought,when in fact,much more attention is paid to earlier dialogues,particularly the Republic.The problem is resolved and the true significance of the Laws revealed when the text is read as Plato’s ironic critique of his brilliant-but-rebellious student,Aristotle.Reasoning from Aristotelian premises,the Athenian stranger arrives at conclusions that Platonists and Aristotelians alike would find unpalatable or absurd.The alleged rupture between Plato’s earlier and later work disappears.The esoteric writings that are thought to have been the product of Aristotle’s later career are shown to have emerged from ideas that Plato himself was familiar with and rejected.展开更多
Alexander of Aphrodisias’s Commentary on Aristotle’s Metaphysics is an important testimony to understand Plato’s philosophy.In fact,Alexander uses some lost Aristotelian books,especially a work On the Good,from whi...Alexander of Aphrodisias’s Commentary on Aristotle’s Metaphysics is an important testimony to understand Plato’s philosophy.In fact,Alexander uses some lost Aristotelian books,especially a work On the Good,from which we learn that Plato’s metaphysics is adialectical metaphysics,founded on an original opposition of two principles that shapes the whole reality—these principles being the One and the indefinite Dyad.Sensible things participate in ideas(they receive their being from ideas)and the intermediate mathematical entities lie between these two realities.However,ideas can be traced back to ideal numbers and the principles of ideal numbers are the One and the indefinite Dyad.Thus,these principles constitute their metaphysical foundation of ideas and,through the ideas,of the whole reality.展开更多
This paper will discuss Plato＇s view of love in The Symposium, in particular the arguments presented by the Diotima character, but not neglecting all the other views of love presented therein. The paper, as the title...This paper will discuss Plato＇s view of love in The Symposium, in particular the arguments presented by the Diotima character, but not neglecting all the other views of love presented therein. The paper, as the title indicates, will be confined to a comparison and evaluation of Platonic love against love as articulated within Christianity. Both forms of love will be analyzed and I will attempt to show that although Plato, through Socrates （and Socrates through the Diotima character）, tries to redeem the traditional understanding of love in the ancient Greek society that he was living in, Platonic love is still very different from the Christian concept of love.展开更多
One can see often in explanations of encyclopedia or lexicons of philosophy that Plato manifested primarily the absolute Idealism, whereas Aristotle verified antagonistically the relevance of realism. It is easy to pi...One can see often in explanations of encyclopedia or lexicons of philosophy that Plato manifested primarily the absolute Idealism, whereas Aristotle verified antagonistically the relevance of realism. It is easy to pick up several parts of their representative works and prove that this thesis is corresponded to the original of Plato and Aristotle. But, in reflections of philosophy, we should not ignore a cautious view, focused just on this starting point： If the above mentioned thesis is used like a slogan, ＂Plato for idealism, Aristotle for realism,＂ as it often is, in the meantime there arises a dogmatic position which fixes our mental and intellectual activity only within the frame, so that everyone begins to reflect on Plato or Aristotle from that starting point in a certain framework. A critical and self-critical view of philosophy may bring this position for a query.展开更多
This paper sparks the debate of qualia and knowledge in the works of Plato and Aristotle. The debate on the relevance and logical chronology of qualia and knowledge has been an implicit tension in the works of Plato a...This paper sparks the debate of qualia and knowledge in the works of Plato and Aristotle. The debate on the relevance and logical chronology of qualia and knowledge has been an implicit tension in the works of Plato and Aristotle. However, we seldom find scholars exploring these aspects of Plato-Aristotle philosophy and connecting it to the contemporary debate of qualia. It is on this account that this paper re-examines Plato and Aristotle’s debate on the relevance of qualia to knowledge and how this debate has influenced theories relating to sense data. The core objective of this paper is to resurrect the debate of qualia and knowledge in the works of the legends as a way of contributing to the contemporary problem of qualia as suggested by Clarence I. Lewis and others in mid-20th century.展开更多
With the development of the rhetoric study from the origins in ancient Athens and The Rhetoric of Aristotle to the formation of modern Communication Study at the beginning of the twentieth century,the Rhetoric Study c...With the development of the rhetoric study from the origins in ancient Athens and The Rhetoric of Aristotle to the formation of modern Communication Study at the beginning of the twentieth century,the Rhetoric Study changed in dynamic and its concepts and theories merged and formed the foundations of Communication Study which focused on personal communication and speech rhetoric skills at that time.At the beginning of the twentieth century,although the Neo-Aristotelian rhetorical scholars from classic rhetoric approach created methodologies and enriched the content of Communication Study under the influence of humanistic study and social science study,but the Communication discipline was still in the embarrassing position.During World War I and World War II,most scholars with backgrounds of social science,history and anthropology carried out the studies of propaganda wars and the message disseminating,and explored the military powers and governments’access to the media and developed serial communication modes from the social science perspective,which laid the foundation for Communication discipline in the academic field.The author analyzed the Rhetoric and Social Science origins of Communication study in Boxing Plato’s Shadow:an Introduction to the Study of Human Communication,which is beneficial and helpful to understand the academic origins of Communication study and its cross-disciplined and embarrassing positions.展开更多
Hegel uses Plato＇s classical text, Philebus, in two of his most important texts, the so called Shorter Logics, the first part of the famous Encyclopedia of Philosophical Sciences and in The Lectures on the Philosophy...Hegel uses Plato＇s classical text, Philebus, in two of his most important texts, the so called Shorter Logics, the first part of the famous Encyclopedia of Philosophical Sciences and in The Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion. The aim of this article is to analyze how can this two references be read together as to form a relationship between logic and religion in the very heart of Hegelian philosophy. In the first case, Hegel analyzes Plato＇s text within the context of his Doctrine of Being, specially from §§ 89 to 95, which deal with the question of determinate being. In The Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion, on the other hand, the reference appears in the 1824 Lectures in a particularly complex chapter called ＂The Transition to the Speculative Standpoint of Religion,＂ in which Hegel affirms not only that such a speculative standpoint is the only one in which religion can be truly grasped, but also that the Christian concept of ＂incarnation of God＂ is the ＂speculative midpoint＂ of religion. It will be argued, therefore, that the ontological question of determination and actuality, as exposed in the Shorter Logics, is fundamental to the metaphysics of Christian Religion as Hegel understands it not only in his Philosophy of Religion, but arguably in his whole philosophy.展开更多
This article examines some ideas on reading Plato by three scholars, dating from different decades of the 20th century and setting off from various theoretical starting points, who explored an alternative possibility ...This article examines some ideas on reading Plato by three scholars, dating from different decades of the 20th century and setting off from various theoretical starting points, who explored an alternative possibility by suggesting theories that incorporate the element of＂dramatic＂ performance. According to Auguste Diès the written dialogue is a literary version of a dialectical duel actually held in the Academy between a distinguished visitor and a selected group of students. Through the so-called process of＂transposition＂, Plato transforms a real life event into an artful piece of literature recreating the original scene for educational purposes. Gilbert Ryle, on the other hand, held that the dialogues were primarily intended for dramatic recitation in public, with Plato himself delivering the words of Socrates. They were delivered orally to audiences, as a rule in the context of literary competitions, in which the other Socratics also took part. Finally, Holger Thesleff has once suggested that the （re）performance of the dialogues as an established activity in the Academy constitutes a necessary stage in the composition of new works and the revision of the old ones. In view of his conviction that Plato was the inventor of the dramatic philosophical dialogue he also seemed to have been the first one who explicitly, however cautiously, entertained the idea of theatrical presentation of Plato＇s dialogues-though he later changed his mind and fallen back to the theory of public reading.展开更多
Farington’s interpretation of the philosophies of Plato and Cicero as reactionary philosophies is discussed.In the light of our interpretative category,such as that of Traditions of Thought,understood as complex rati...Farington’s interpretation of the philosophies of Plato and Cicero as reactionary philosophies is discussed.In the light of our interpretative category,such as that of Traditions of Thought,understood as complex rational,historical constructions,within which metaphysical and epistemological principles are mediated with socio-economic-political-cultural conflicts,all denominated as ideologies,instead it is believed that scientific theories are not actually progressive or regressive,but rather the ideologies,when they interpret the concepts of scientific fact,scientific theory and,more strongly,that of philosophy,within general conceptions of the world.In the light of our interpretative category,they thus appear more than regressive philosophers instead of regressive ideologues,if we consider that the philosopher moves within the narrower fields of the so-called metaphysics and epistemology.Cicero also appears to be the great Latin creator of a way of understanding philosophy and its history with the dominant triad Socrates-Plato-Aristotele in it.All this must be considered within my broader historical-philosophical-epistemological elaboration,enclosed in my published books and papers,cited in references.展开更多
Through the comparison of Confucius and Plato’s educational thoughts in the Axis Age,the study of the differences between Eastern and Western educational cultures is based on the comparison of educational objectives,...Through the comparison of Confucius and Plato’s educational thoughts in the Axis Age,the study of the differences between Eastern and Western educational cultures is based on the comparison of educational objectives,educational objects,educational methods,and educational content.There is a difference in the educational culture between the two in the special period of the Axis Age.From the open western idealism education and the introverted oriental materialism education,the similarities and differences between the Oriental Six Arts and the Western Seven Arts,the differences between the East and the West human education,and the differences between the education and training talents,respectively,the differences between the East and the West education culture are elaborated.Therefore,we can better deepen the understanding of the splendid civilization in the Axis era and discover the inadequacies of education through the comparison of Eastern and Western cultures so that our education can better absorb the essence,abandon the dross,and promote the vigorous development of education,improving constantly.展开更多
Hegel was highly influenced by Plato’s philosophy,as appears in his Lectures on the History of Philosophy.The German philosopher rightly attributed to Plato an“aesthetic”theory meant as a search for the meaning of ...Hegel was highly influenced by Plato’s philosophy,as appears in his Lectures on the History of Philosophy.The German philosopher rightly attributed to Plato an“aesthetic”theory meant as a search for the meaning of Beauty(the idea of the Beautiful).For Kant the Sublime played the same role that Beauty did for the Greek philosopher,leading the human soul to grasp the super-sensible,as we read in his Critique of the Judgment of Taste.Contrary to what happened in Plato,in Hegel’s own aesthetic theory,the investigation was not focused on Beauty in general,but on artistic Beauty,the characters of the beautiful work of art.If Plato and Hegel highlight the dialectical-metaphysical function of Beauty,the judgment that they express on art is very different.However,they share an important conception:Beauty is as an intermediate and connecting reality,that functions as a link between thought and sensitivity.展开更多
“Naming of Parts”and“plato told”are two poems written respectively by Henry Reed and E.E.Cummings during the Second World War.“Naming of Parts”depicts the opposition and assimilation of two voices in the poem wh...“Naming of Parts”and“plato told”are two poems written respectively by Henry Reed and E.E.Cummings during the Second World War.“Naming of Parts”depicts the opposition and assimilation of two voices in the poem while“plato told”features the contrast between the silenced voices and an accentuated voice in the poem.The two poems suggest that submitting oneself to the speech pattern typical of military personnel leads to the loss of one’s voice,individuality,and ultimately one’s life.Overall,these two poems reveal the connection between a person’s voice and individuality in a war and demonstrate a clear antiwar attitude.展开更多
‘Pursuing the good’ is an old subject in both social history of ancient Greece and Greek philosophy studies. There is hardly anything new when we talk about virtue or morality in the time of Plato and Aristotle. In ...‘Pursuing the good’ is an old subject in both social history of ancient Greece and Greek philosophy studies. There is hardly anything new when we talk about virtue or morality in the time of Plato and Aristotle. In the area of Greek history, many books and articles on or relevant to展开更多
Literature and aesthetics have similarities,both of which are a kind of ideology and can endow us a satisfaction of people's spiritual need and purify and sublimate people's mind.And there is something interwo...Literature and aesthetics have similarities,both of which are a kind of ideology and can endow us a satisfaction of people's spiritual need and purify and sublimate people's mind.And there is something interwoven in the two disciplines.Plato,as a early western literary theorist,has also delved into the discipline of aesthetics.This article is a general analysis of his aesthetic ideas in his works.展开更多
The background of Captain Corelli's Mandolin is based on World War II. When the war provoked on the Greek Island, the Greeks fight against the Italian Fascist and live a tough life with their love. This article ma...The background of Captain Corelli's Mandolin is based on World War II. When the war provoked on the Greek Island, the Greeks fight against the Italian Fascist and live a tough life with their love. This article mainly talks about the essence of the Platonic love revealed in the book. By analyzing the description about homosexuality and heterosexuality in the book, this article acclaims the essence of the Platonic love——the noble abstention of lust-based love and the truth, kindness and beauty of love.展开更多
文摘Plato’s last dialogue,the Laws,occupies an anomalous position within his larger body of work.An individual identified as the“Athenian stranger”replaces Socrates and reverses key Socratic teachings,most notably by endorsing tyranny.Scholars conclude that Plato abandoned his earlier political recommendations in favor of a more pragmatic vision.In that case,the Laws should be treated as Plato’s definitive work,the ultimate statement of his thought,when in fact,much more attention is paid to earlier dialogues,particularly the Republic.The problem is resolved and the true significance of the Laws revealed when the text is read as Plato’s ironic critique of his brilliant-but-rebellious student,Aristotle.Reasoning from Aristotelian premises,the Athenian stranger arrives at conclusions that Platonists and Aristotelians alike would find unpalatable or absurd.The alleged rupture between Plato’s earlier and later work disappears.The esoteric writings that are thought to have been the product of Aristotle’s later career are shown to have emerged from ideas that Plato himself was familiar with and rejected.
文摘Alexander of Aphrodisias’s Commentary on Aristotle’s Metaphysics is an important testimony to understand Plato’s philosophy.In fact,Alexander uses some lost Aristotelian books,especially a work On the Good,from which we learn that Plato’s metaphysics is adialectical metaphysics,founded on an original opposition of two principles that shapes the whole reality—these principles being the One and the indefinite Dyad.Sensible things participate in ideas(they receive their being from ideas)and the intermediate mathematical entities lie between these two realities.However,ideas can be traced back to ideal numbers and the principles of ideal numbers are the One and the indefinite Dyad.Thus,these principles constitute their metaphysical foundation of ideas and,through the ideas,of the whole reality.
文摘This paper will discuss Plato＇s view of love in The Symposium, in particular the arguments presented by the Diotima character, but not neglecting all the other views of love presented therein. The paper, as the title indicates, will be confined to a comparison and evaluation of Platonic love against love as articulated within Christianity. Both forms of love will be analyzed and I will attempt to show that although Plato, through Socrates （and Socrates through the Diotima character）, tries to redeem the traditional understanding of love in the ancient Greek society that he was living in, Platonic love is still very different from the Christian concept of love.
文摘One can see often in explanations of encyclopedia or lexicons of philosophy that Plato manifested primarily the absolute Idealism, whereas Aristotle verified antagonistically the relevance of realism. It is easy to pick up several parts of their representative works and prove that this thesis is corresponded to the original of Plato and Aristotle. But, in reflections of philosophy, we should not ignore a cautious view, focused just on this starting point： If the above mentioned thesis is used like a slogan, ＂Plato for idealism, Aristotle for realism,＂ as it often is, in the meantime there arises a dogmatic position which fixes our mental and intellectual activity only within the frame, so that everyone begins to reflect on Plato or Aristotle from that starting point in a certain framework. A critical and self-critical view of philosophy may bring this position for a query.
文摘This paper sparks the debate of qualia and knowledge in the works of Plato and Aristotle. The debate on the relevance and logical chronology of qualia and knowledge has been an implicit tension in the works of Plato and Aristotle. However, we seldom find scholars exploring these aspects of Plato-Aristotle philosophy and connecting it to the contemporary debate of qualia. It is on this account that this paper re-examines Plato and Aristotle’s debate on the relevance of qualia to knowledge and how this debate has influenced theories relating to sense data. The core objective of this paper is to resurrect the debate of qualia and knowledge in the works of the legends as a way of contributing to the contemporary problem of qualia as suggested by Clarence I. Lewis and others in mid-20th century.
文摘With the development of the rhetoric study from the origins in ancient Athens and The Rhetoric of Aristotle to the formation of modern Communication Study at the beginning of the twentieth century,the Rhetoric Study changed in dynamic and its concepts and theories merged and formed the foundations of Communication Study which focused on personal communication and speech rhetoric skills at that time.At the beginning of the twentieth century,although the Neo-Aristotelian rhetorical scholars from classic rhetoric approach created methodologies and enriched the content of Communication Study under the influence of humanistic study and social science study,but the Communication discipline was still in the embarrassing position.During World War I and World War II,most scholars with backgrounds of social science,history and anthropology carried out the studies of propaganda wars and the message disseminating,and explored the military powers and governments’access to the media and developed serial communication modes from the social science perspective,which laid the foundation for Communication discipline in the academic field.The author analyzed the Rhetoric and Social Science origins of Communication study in Boxing Plato’s Shadow:an Introduction to the Study of Human Communication,which is beneficial and helpful to understand the academic origins of Communication study and its cross-disciplined and embarrassing positions.
文摘Hegel uses Plato＇s classical text, Philebus, in two of his most important texts, the so called Shorter Logics, the first part of the famous Encyclopedia of Philosophical Sciences and in The Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion. The aim of this article is to analyze how can this two references be read together as to form a relationship between logic and religion in the very heart of Hegelian philosophy. In the first case, Hegel analyzes Plato＇s text within the context of his Doctrine of Being, specially from §§ 89 to 95, which deal with the question of determinate being. In The Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion, on the other hand, the reference appears in the 1824 Lectures in a particularly complex chapter called ＂The Transition to the Speculative Standpoint of Religion,＂ in which Hegel affirms not only that such a speculative standpoint is the only one in which religion can be truly grasped, but also that the Christian concept of ＂incarnation of God＂ is the ＂speculative midpoint＂ of religion. It will be argued, therefore, that the ontological question of determination and actuality, as exposed in the Shorter Logics, is fundamental to the metaphysics of Christian Religion as Hegel understands it not only in his Philosophy of Religion, but arguably in his whole philosophy.
文摘This article examines some ideas on reading Plato by three scholars, dating from different decades of the 20th century and setting off from various theoretical starting points, who explored an alternative possibility by suggesting theories that incorporate the element of＂dramatic＂ performance. According to Auguste Diès the written dialogue is a literary version of a dialectical duel actually held in the Academy between a distinguished visitor and a selected group of students. Through the so-called process of＂transposition＂, Plato transforms a real life event into an artful piece of literature recreating the original scene for educational purposes. Gilbert Ryle, on the other hand, held that the dialogues were primarily intended for dramatic recitation in public, with Plato himself delivering the words of Socrates. They were delivered orally to audiences, as a rule in the context of literary competitions, in which the other Socratics also took part. Finally, Holger Thesleff has once suggested that the （re）performance of the dialogues as an established activity in the Academy constitutes a necessary stage in the composition of new works and the revision of the old ones. In view of his conviction that Plato was the inventor of the dramatic philosophical dialogue he also seemed to have been the first one who explicitly, however cautiously, entertained the idea of theatrical presentation of Plato＇s dialogues-though he later changed his mind and fallen back to the theory of public reading.
文摘Farington’s interpretation of the philosophies of Plato and Cicero as reactionary philosophies is discussed.In the light of our interpretative category,such as that of Traditions of Thought,understood as complex rational,historical constructions,within which metaphysical and epistemological principles are mediated with socio-economic-political-cultural conflicts,all denominated as ideologies,instead it is believed that scientific theories are not actually progressive or regressive,but rather the ideologies,when they interpret the concepts of scientific fact,scientific theory and,more strongly,that of philosophy,within general conceptions of the world.In the light of our interpretative category,they thus appear more than regressive philosophers instead of regressive ideologues,if we consider that the philosopher moves within the narrower fields of the so-called metaphysics and epistemology.Cicero also appears to be the great Latin creator of a way of understanding philosophy and its history with the dominant triad Socrates-Plato-Aristotele in it.All this must be considered within my broader historical-philosophical-epistemological elaboration,enclosed in my published books and papers,cited in references.
文摘Through the comparison of Confucius and Plato’s educational thoughts in the Axis Age,the study of the differences between Eastern and Western educational cultures is based on the comparison of educational objectives,educational objects,educational methods,and educational content.There is a difference in the educational culture between the two in the special period of the Axis Age.From the open western idealism education and the introverted oriental materialism education,the similarities and differences between the Oriental Six Arts and the Western Seven Arts,the differences between the East and the West human education,and the differences between the education and training talents,respectively,the differences between the East and the West education culture are elaborated.Therefore,we can better deepen the understanding of the splendid civilization in the Axis era and discover the inadequacies of education through the comparison of Eastern and Western cultures so that our education can better absorb the essence,abandon the dross,and promote the vigorous development of education,improving constantly.
文摘Hegel was highly influenced by Plato’s philosophy,as appears in his Lectures on the History of Philosophy.The German philosopher rightly attributed to Plato an“aesthetic”theory meant as a search for the meaning of Beauty(the idea of the Beautiful).For Kant the Sublime played the same role that Beauty did for the Greek philosopher,leading the human soul to grasp the super-sensible,as we read in his Critique of the Judgment of Taste.Contrary to what happened in Plato,in Hegel’s own aesthetic theory,the investigation was not focused on Beauty in general,but on artistic Beauty,the characters of the beautiful work of art.If Plato and Hegel highlight the dialectical-metaphysical function of Beauty,the judgment that they express on art is very different.However,they share an important conception:Beauty is as an intermediate and connecting reality,that functions as a link between thought and sensitivity.
文摘“Naming of Parts”and“plato told”are two poems written respectively by Henry Reed and E.E.Cummings during the Second World War.“Naming of Parts”depicts the opposition and assimilation of two voices in the poem while“plato told”features the contrast between the silenced voices and an accentuated voice in the poem.The two poems suggest that submitting oneself to the speech pattern typical of military personnel leads to the loss of one’s voice,individuality,and ultimately one’s life.Overall,these two poems reveal the connection between a person’s voice and individuality in a war and demonstrate a clear antiwar attitude.
文摘‘Pursuing the good’ is an old subject in both social history of ancient Greece and Greek philosophy studies. There is hardly anything new when we talk about virtue or morality in the time of Plato and Aristotle. In the area of Greek history, many books and articles on or relevant to
文摘Literature and aesthetics have similarities,both of which are a kind of ideology and can endow us a satisfaction of people's spiritual need and purify and sublimate people's mind.And there is something interwoven in the two disciplines.Plato,as a early western literary theorist,has also delved into the discipline of aesthetics.This article is a general analysis of his aesthetic ideas in his works.
文摘The background of Captain Corelli's Mandolin is based on World War II. When the war provoked on the Greek Island, the Greeks fight against the Italian Fascist and live a tough life with their love. This article mainly talks about the essence of the Platonic love revealed in the book. By analyzing the description about homosexuality and heterosexuality in the book, this article acclaims the essence of the Platonic love——the noble abstention of lust-based love and the truth, kindness and beauty of love.
