Plato 哲學一智 劉靜怡

PLATO

When I finished my English work, it had already ended at last. So, I rest for a while on my bed. Step by step, I walked in my dream…

When I woke up, I saw all around, “will, where is here?” I jumped to my feet, looking my clothing. It seems that not like my times. What’s happened? Why here I am? ….. All right, since I was here, go for a walk in everywhere.

Suddenly, I found that I can understand the language which those people said, so, I thought, “Can they understand what I talk about?”

I kept walk, and I saw an older in front of me, so, I walked to him and asked, “Excuse me, Where is it? And, can I ask you some questions?”

The old man said, “Here is Athens, what questions do you ask?”

I said, “Oh, thank you, do you know who Plato is?”

He said, “Plato is one of world’s best known and most widely read and studied philosophers. Known as the student of Socrates and the teacher of Aristotle, he wrote in the middle of the fourth century B.C.E.”

I said, “Oh, thank you, can I ask more questions to you?”
“OK!” He said.
Then I asked, “Will, do you know when Plato’s birth was?”

“He was born in 428 B.C. and died at the age of eighty. Some people thought that Plato was born the year Pericles died, and was six years younger than Socrates, and died at the age of eighty-four years.” He answered.

“Thank you!” I said, “Will, the last question, is it true that people said Plato was a man of noble birth?”

He said, “mm, I have no idea, but we can ask else people. It seems that you are not born here, by the way, I can lead you go anywhere to look around.”

“Oh, yeah, thank you, I’m very willing.” I answered.

Then, I went follow the old man while looking around. I saw many temples. I could not believe that I could see those great building in here. It’s a pity that I could not take a picture. Then, I asked the old man, “And, do you know that how many sections in Plato’s Dialogues?”

“I can answer you this question as possible as I can; as far as I know, Plato’s Dialogues could be divided to four periods:
Early – Plato’s early dialogues often wrote Socrates.
(All after the death of Socrates, but before Plato’s first trip to Sicily in 387 B.C.E)

Early-Transitional – Plato’s thinking were not yet became mature.
(Either at the end of the early group or at the beginning if the middle group, c. 387-380 B.C.E)

Middle – Plato’s thinking presented clearly.
(c. 380-360 B.C.E)

Late – Plato’s thinking became deeply and very hard to understand.
(c. 355-347 B.C.E.; possibly in chronological order), those are all I know.” He said.

I said, “It is really thank you, that’s enough!”

And then, he leaded me to a building which liked a school, and I thought suddenly that it was seems that Plato ever set up an academy.

Then, old man said, “We can ask people here, maybe, they have answers that you want.” So, we kept walking in to the academy. During a while, we saw a student sited under the tree and read book. We walked to him; when the student saw us, he stood up right away and talked to the old man, “Hello, teacher, what can I do for you?”

Then the old man talked to me, “You can give your question to him, I think, he will answer to you.”

So, I asked, “I have some questions want to ask you, is it true that people said Plato was a man of noble birth?”

The student said, “Oh, I think I can answer to you. That’s true. Plato came from one of the wealthiest and most politically active families in Athens. Plato’s actual given name was apparently Aristocles, after his grandfather. “Plato” is a nickname, because of the breadth of his style or the breadth of his forehead.”

“Then, do you know what did Plato write in his writings?” I said.

“Oh, I just know a little about this question, When Plato’s young, he had already possessed of outstanding intellectual and artistic ability. Plato began his as a writer of tragedies, but hearing Socrates talk, he wholly abandoned that path, and burned tragedies. There can be no doubt that Plato’s mastery of dialogue, characterization, and dramatic context. Plato’s early Dialogues had many thoughts about Socrates.” He answered.

I said follow him, “Oh, I see, and do you know what Plato’s important thinking is?”



“Will, since you ask me those questions, I just read a little! As far as I know, the important Plato’s thinking that the theory of Forms. We are told that particular sensible equal things, for example, equal sticks or stones are equal because of their “participation” or “sharing” in the character of the Form of Equality, which is absolutely, changelessly, perfectly, and essentially equal.” He answered.

Then I asked again, “So, do you know what’s Plato’s Love is?”

“Will, that’s also belong to one of Plato’s important ideas. Plato introduces his theory of eros (usually translated as “love”). Several passages and images from these dialogues show up in Western culture. In the Phaedrus, love is revealed to be the great “divine madness” through which the wings of the lover’s soul may sprout, allowing the lover to take flight to all of the highest aspirations and achievements possible for humankind.” He said, and asked me, “Do you have else questions? Or, if you want ask Plato himself?”

“Asking Plato himself? You say Plato?” I shocked and said.

“That’s right; you can go to find him in this academy. I ever heard of that he often appear on the library. So, you can go there to find him.” He said.

“Oh, thank you, I will go.” I said. Then, I went to the library.

When I got there, I looked around in this library. Suddenly, I saw a man who I looked very familiar. So, I went to him, and asked him, “Are you Plato himself?”
The man said, “Yes, I am, what happened?”

“Oh, in fact, I have some questions want to ask you, do you have free time now?” I said.

“Oh, yes, I have free time now, what questions do you ask?” Plato said.

I said, “I want to ask you that why you hate political in Athens?”

“Because of my teacher, Socrates, was the most influence in my life. When I was twenty years, and I learned philosophy from my teacher for ten years until he was put to death. Him death gave me a heavy blow, and made me lose confidence for Athens’ democratic politics.” He said.


“So, is it because your teacher death so that you feel disappointment at Athens’ democratic politics?” I said.

“Yes, I feel very disappointment.” He said.

“Will, I want to know who ever influences on you?” I said.

“I mixed four philosophers’ thoughts in my works, the arguments of Heraclitus, the Pythagoreans, Parmenides and Zeno and Socrates. I borrow from Heraclitus to read the sensible; from Pythagorean to read intelligible.” He said.

Then, I said, “Oh, thanks for telling me so detailed. And I have the honor to talk with you…”

Suddenly, a burst of the sky and earth were spinning round, a slice space in front of my eyes...

“Where is it? It…feels…very…familiar…It is like my room…”

When I got up, I touch my clothing on my body, then, I jump down my bed and walked in front of my desk. I recalled something that I want to add in my English work. So, I opened my computer…

“Why I choice Plato for my English work?” I keyed on my computer.

“Because of I have developed an interest in Plato’s works. Because of in his works, Plato ever mentioned the myth of Atlantis, which scholars now generally agree is quite late, despite being dramatically placed on the day after the discussion recounted in the Republic. The myth of Atlantis is continued in the unfinished dialogue.”