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Examine (elenchos) your values, society’s values, religious values, etc. Accept the limits of human knowledge; use reason to discover the definition (logos) of each virtue and virtue itself; live well (eudaimonia). You are rich, respected, and feared, but how’s your soul?

Plato’s Moral Theory

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Plato’s Moral Theory. Examine ( elenchos ) your values, society’s values, religious values, etc. Accept the limits of human knowledge; use reason to discover the definition ( logos ) of each virtue and virtue itself; live well ( eudaimonia ). You are rich, respected, and - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Plato’s Moral Theory

Examine (elenchos) your values, society’s values, religious values, etc.

Accept the limits of human knowledge; use reason to discover the definition (logos) of each virtue and virtue itself; live well (eudaimonia).

You are rich, respected, and feared, but how’s your soul?

Page 2: Plato’s Moral Theory

A virtue theory: virtues are character traits which promote the interests of the agent and her community. No Moderation makes Gia unhealthy and her closest community unhappy.

A self-interest theory: Wrongdoing harms the wrongdoer. Doing the right thing always promotes one’s interests.

A rationalist theory: virtue is acquired by rational reflection. All who understand the nature of justice, goodness, etc., will behave virtuously and live well. Careful thinking is the key to moral conduct.

Page 3: Plato’s Moral Theory

Terms like justice, beauty, unity, etc., refer to entities existing in a transcendent realm. Knowledge occurs only when the human mind/soul makes non-perceptual contact with these ideal, eternal objects. A Form is immutable, timeless, one over many, intellectually apprehensible, and capable of precise definition via dialectical inquiry.

Page 4: Plato’s Moral Theory

I. One over many: Universal properties shared by many particulars; many intelligent students; there is some single property that each has, intelligence.

II. Standards of measurement and appraisal: More or less equal, implies knowledge of Equality. More or less honest = closer to or further from perfect honesty.

Page 5: Plato’s Moral Theory

III. Definitions: Is compassion good? Requires definitions of compassion and good.

IV. Immutable things: Jill may be pale in winter and tan in summer, but pale can never become tan.

V. Timeless truths: truths about particulars are tensed, truths about universals and definitions are timeless.

VI. Intellectual knowledge: apprehension of general concepts is intellectual, not perceptual. Certainty.

Page 6: Plato’s Moral Theory
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Objects States of mind Intelligible The Good Intelligence or

Knowledge realm Forms Mathematical Thinking objects____________________________________________rea

lm of visible things belief/opinionappearance images imagining