Phaedo Socrates: An Analysis Of Plato's Forms

Plato’s forms were objective ideas of perfection of a concept. The forms are an essence of a concept, or a model for the individual, the ideal state. In the dialogue, the Phaedo Socrates is defending his theory of recollection through explaining notions of the forms. “For our argument applies not merely to the equal, but with the same force to the beautiful itself, the good itself, the just, the holy, in fact, as I have just said, to everything upon which we affix our seal and mark as being.” (p.175). The forms serve as essential aspects of being. They are characteristics that determines the object’s state of being as necessary qualities. For an object to be that object it must participate in the form. For example, a king must be just. The …show more content…
A priori is knowledge derived from deduction as opposed to empirically. Plato’s forms were not perceptible, or accessible by the senses, only through contemplation. Epistemologically, the form is the object of genuine knowledge- or the highest level of knowledge. If only able to be understood by deduction, the forms must be accessed through a very specific kind of knowledge, innate knowledge. In the Meno, Socrates presents a series of math problems to a slave by drawing a square in the sand. Being a slave, he never would have had a chance at education and without innate knowledge would have no way of knowing the information. “At the beginning he did not know the side of the square of eight feet. Nor indeed does he know it now, but then he thought he knew it and answered boldly, as was appropriate- he felt no perplexity. Now however, he does feel perplexed. Not only does he not know the answer; he doesn’t even think he knows.” pg 121. This part of the Meno is often criticized, interpreted as Socrates saying that the slave had innate knowledge of the answer when he has just taught it to him. I would assert, however that it is not the content that the slave is learning that is meant to be the innate knowledge he has, but the capacity for reason. Socrates was a teacher, his method was meant to lead people to question the systems and concepts in their lives, but it was their ability to work out logic that would ultimately bring the student to a …show more content…
A glimpse of Plato’s soul is present in the Phaedo as Socrates awaits his death sentence among other philosophers. The soul is seen as separate from the body as a kind of unity. As opposed to the pre-Socratics, Plato’s notion of the soul is closer to the modern idea of consciousness. In reference to death Socrates states, “Well then, he will be as ready to comply as anyone else who has a proper attitude to philosophy.” (p.159). Socrates is really saying that philosophy prepares the soul for death. Philosophy is this case means contemplation of the forms and the good. Yet another influence of the Pythagoreans who believed the key to salvation was through contemplation of the nature of the universe. Like the Pythagoreans, Plato believed in a reincarnation of the soul. In a later dialogue, the Phaedrus, the soul is attached to one’s role in life. One’s role in life corresponds to seeking truth and whether one sought truth in life determined how close they were to salvation. “Such a soul, if with three revolutions of a thousand years she has thrice choosen this philosophic life, regains thereby her wings, and speeds away after three thousand years; but the rest, when they have accomplished their first life, are brought to judgement…”(p.249). The philosopher’s soul, or the seeker of the forms and the good, is the only soul that can reach salvation. Behind the philosopher is the king, or guardian, but to