Comparing Plato and Descartes

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Plato in Phaedo talks about the immortality and the re-embodiment of the soul. It speaks of how the soul always brings about life. Phaedo also talks about the different theory of forms. Socrates argues that it is easy to establish counterparts of any sense-objects. He goes on state that if universal forms are present then any sense-object can partake in opposite universals but in contradictory amounts. This was to show that ideas or essences themselves contain inner contradictions.

The Apology and Meditations I on the other hand talk about the proof of the existence of God in all of our knowledge and understanding. Descartes and Socrates are both in agreement that with all the knowledge and understanding comes from God. The Apology and Meditations I also talk about the mentality and the physicality of matters. With the example of the piece of wax it goes on to show that one can simply make assumptions using the sensory means which would in the end be false and deceitful. The fact that molten wax differs in all attributes with solid wax goes on to show that we can only depend upon what we see, judge and comprehend with the mind as it is the only means that we can justify the truth and the certainty of knowledge. With Descartes’ method which I completely agree on, admission of one’s ignorance can only be the way to know and understand knowledge. I am in total agreement that doubt is useful in the apprehension of matters and unraveling the truth of things as they really are but not as how they seem or appear to be in front of us. Radical skepticism is very important I believe as one cannot identify everything with outright conviction but can only sense assertiveness about certain matters.

Works Cited

Cress, Donald. Meditations on First Philosophy: in which the Existence of God and the Distinction of the Soul from the Body are demonstrated. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing, 1993.

Rorty, Amélie. Essays on Descartes’ Meditations. California: University of California Press, 1986.