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On The Expression Of Plato 's Thought

Posted on:2017-04-12Degree:DoctorType:Dissertation
Country:ChinaCandidate:J MiaoFull Text:PDF
GTID:1105330485463067Subject:Aesthetics
Abstract/Summary:PDF Full Text Request
The general forms of illuminating philosophical thoughts are showing the process of thinking, explicating the theory, establishing the principle and making arguments of viewpoints. However, being different from most philosophers, Plato wrote dialogues in which he showed philosopher and did philosophical thinking without expressing his own thoughts explicitly, which characterized all his works. The problem of how did philosophy express itself may not be an issue in those descriptional or demonstrational philosophical works, conversely, it is a most significant issue that How did philosophy express itself in Plato’s works that make us obtain particular insights over Plato’s thoughts since of all above-mentioned characteristics. Besides the letters he left and the anecdotes about his teaching in Academy, Plato did philosophy by writing dialogues in which Socrates was a leading actor. The action of writing achieved some results. Firstly, he built a philosophical chain between the actor Socrates and readers in posterity. Also, the writing preserved the philosophical actions of Socrates who may be the most distinctive philosopher in the sense that his philosophical thinking was his whole life. Socrates was unique and died, thus his life meanwhile his thinking was never imitated by anyone. It was the key point that in preserving Socrates’ life Plato actualized the transformation of Socrates’ philosophical activity. The transformation can be understood from three aspects. The one is the changing of philosophical study from activity to writing in the process of which Plato kept silent about Socrates’ activity so as not to conveniently judge whether some dialogues were of Socrates’ or of Plato’s. Secondly, Plato’s writing builds its absolute advantage in the field of interpreting Socrates’ thoughts. As a result, all other writings, such as Xenophon, Diogenes, Aristotle’s, ect. are regarded complementary literature. Thirdly, Plato’s own writing endures transformation from mediator in recording Socrates’ thoughts to his own philosophical kernel which can be neither reduced to philosophical theory nor imitated by others. Because of his intention, his method and his personal history could not be verified, Plato’s writing covers up both Socrates’ and his own prototype and meanwhile unfolds both Socrates’ and his own philosophical activity. Are there some way in illuminating philosophy besides writing? Is Plato’s writing indeed representative of his own thoughts? How do we better understand Plato’s thoughts and endure the transformation in philosophical thinking of our own between the tension of his writing both as mediator and kernel. We should more concentrate on the philosophical thinking itself rather than of whose thoughts.
Keywords/Search Tags:Socrates, Plato, to write, dialogue, agency
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