Rational Spirituality and Divine Virtue in Plato : A Modern Interpretation and Philosophical Defense of Platonism

Michael LaFargue presents an important and accessible aspect of Plato s legacy largely overlooked today: a variety of personal spirituality based on reason and centered on virtue. Plato s Virtue-Forms are transcendent in their goodness, ideals that Platonists can use to improve character and become like God so far as is humanly possible. LaFargue constructs a model of inductive Socratic reasoning capable of acquiring knowledge of these perfect Virtue-Forms, then scales back claims about these Forms to what can be supported by this kind of reasoning. This is a critical theory, but also a pluralistic one that accommodates modern cultural diversity. A how-to chapter provides detailed descriptions of the rules of Socratic reasoning basic to this spirituality, which any interested individual can practice today. LaFargue supports his interpretation by a close reading of the Greek text of key passages in Plato s dialogues. The work also undertakes a broader philosophical consideration, discussing the philosophical foundations proposed for this Platonism in relation to the thought of G. E. Moore, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Martin Heidegger, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Richard Rorty." Contents 8 Preface 10 Introduction 12 Platonist Spirituality versus “Platonist Metaphysics” 13 Rational Foundations 14 Ethical Realism 15 What Is Philosophy? 16 Chapter Outline 18 Chapter One: Overview 26 Socrates’s Search for Truth about Virtue 27 Existential Questions: What Finally Matters 29 Plato’s Two Worlds 30 Philosophy as a Way of Life 33 Individualist Platonism and Critical Reconstruction 34 Virtue-Models, not Rules for Conduct 36 Platonism as a Difficult Way of Life 37 How Can We Get “Over There” from “Here”? 37 Does Perfect Courage Exist? 39 Individualist Reasoning and the Midwife Principle 41 Asking the Right Question 42 An Illustration: Socratic Discussion of Courage in the Laches 42 A Basic Problem 45 A Socratic Discussion of Rightness 47 Method in Inductive Socratic Reasoning. 48 Some Practical Examples 49 Disillusionment in Love 50 Disillusionment with Heroes 51 Disillusionment with Conventional Morality 51 Moral Skepticism Due to Focusing on Moral Dilemmas 52 Skepticism about Moral Rules 53 Chapter Two: The Objectivity of the Good 56 The Problem 56 The Life-World versus the Science-World 58 Two Tables and Two Worlds 59 Practical Significance and the Objectivity of Funniness 62 Significance in the Life-World 64 The Priority of the Significance-Filled Life-World 66 Soft Objectivity and Ethical Deserving 68 Ethical Interest and the Metaphor of “Perspective” 69 The Context of Philosophizing, Ancient and Modern 71 George Edward Moore and Analytic Philosophy 73 Transcendental Philosophy 81 Platonism with a Pragmatist Foundation 89 Disagreements with Rorty 92 Chapter Three: Limits 96 A Modern Textbook Summary of “Plato’s Doctrines” 96 Plato on What Is “Real” 98 Critical Reconstruction on a Pragmatist Basis 100 Platonic Forms as Separately Existing Entities 103 Platonic Forms as Timeless and Eternal Universal Truths 105 Critical Pluralism 107 Plato’s Form-Theory as a Purely Formal Theory 113 Appendix: A Socratic Perspective on the Causes of Ethical Diversity 115 Chapter Four: Elaborations 122 Virtue-Centered versus Behavior-Centered Ethics 122 Reason, Virtue, and Behavior 123 Cultivating Virtue 127 “Admirable” 129 Plato’s Otherworldly “Worldview” 131 Worldviews without Relativism 134 The Platonist Worldview—Some Details 136 The Platonism of Iris Murdoch 139 Chapter Five: Rules of Socratic Method 144 Summary Review 144 The Positive Function of Ethical Perceptions in Clear Concrete Cases 146 The Negative Use of Immediate Ethical Perceptions as Counterexamples 153 The Four and The Fifth 159 Chapter Six: Text and Commentary (1) 166 An Initial Summary 166 Plato’s Interest in “Contradictory” Sense-Impressions 169 Parallels between Ethical Perceptions and Perceptions without Ethical Content 171 A Dialogue Concerning Aisthe ̄ sis, 174 and the Puzzling Finger 174 Wisdom-Lovers, Sight-Lovers, and Doxa-Lovers 178 Appendix: On the Meaning of Doxa 186 Chapter Seven: Text and Commentary (2) 196 The True Philosopher and the Otherworldly “Being” of Platonic Virtue-Forms 198 The Allegory of the Cave 201 Plato’s Ladder in the Symposium 204 Chapter Eight: Implications and Examples 210 The Case of Nietzsche and the Importance of Internal Criticism 211 Socratic Thoughts on the Virtue of Honesty 216 A Possible Ending of a Discussion of Romantic Love 222 Intimacy as an Element in Romantic Love 223 The Relation of Intimacy to Emotional Flowering and Intense Passion 224 Chapter Nine: (Mis-)Categorizing Plato 226 Plato As A Rationalist Philosopher 227 The Historical Origins of the Category “Rationalist” 227 Was Plato a “Rationalist”? 231 Did Plato Believe in “Innate Ideas”? 233 What Does “Pure Reason” (Noe ̄ sis) Mean in Plato? 234 Are Platonic Forms Known by Mystical Intuition? 235 Martin Heidegger on Plato as “Founder of Western Metaphysics” 236 Some Main Themes of Heideggerian Thought 239 Heidegger’s Plato Interpretation 243 Heidegger’s Text-Hermeneutics 250 Heidegger, Sachkritik, and Critical Reconstruction 256 Appendix: Sample Paper Assignment for a College Course 262 Section 1 262 Section 2 263 Section 3 264 Common Mistakes and Grading Criteria 264 Mistakes Commonly Made in Step 3 of Section 2 (Counterexamples) 264 Common Mistakes Made in Step 4 (Remedying Ambiguities Discovered in Counterexamples) 265 Student Feedback 266 Works Cited 268 Index 274 Describes A Platonic Personal Spirituality Based On Reason That Is Readily Accessible To People Today. Michael Lafargue Presents An Important And Accessible Aspect Of Plato’s Legacy Largely Overlooked Today: A Variety Of Personal Spirituality Based On Reason And Centered On Virtue. Plato’s Virtue-forms Are Transcendent In Their Goodness, Ideals That Platonists Can Use To Improve Character And Become Like God So Far As Is Humanly Possible. Lafargue Constructs A Model Of Inductive Socratic Reasoning Capable Of Acquiring Knowledge Of These Perfect Virtue-forms, Then Scales Back Claims About These Forms To What Can Be Supported By This Kind Of Reasoning. This Is A Critical Theory, But Also A Pluralistic One That Accommodates Modern Cultural Diversity. A How-to Chapter Provides Detailed Descriptions Of The Rules Of Socratic Reasoning Basic To This Spirituality, Which Any Interested Individual Can Practice Today. Lafargue Supports His Interpretation By A Close Reading Of The Greek Text Of Key Passages In Plato’s Dialogues. The Work Also Undertakes A Broader Philosophical Consideration, Discussing The Philosophical Foundations Proposed For This Platonism In Relation To The Thought Of G. E. Moore, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Martin Heidegger, Friedrich Nietzsche, And Richard Rorty. "Michael LaFarque presents an important and accessible aspect of Plato's legacy largely overlooked today: a variety of personal spirituality based on reason and centered on virtue. Plato's Virtue-Forms are transcendent in their goodness, ideals that Platonists can use to improve character and become like God so far as is humanly possible. LaFarque constructs a model of inductive Socratic reasoning capable of acquiring knowledge of these perfect Virtue-Forms, then scales back claims about these Forms to what can be supported by this kind of reasoning. This is a critical theory, but also a pluralistic one that accommadates modern cultural diversity. A how-to chapter provides detailed descriptions of the rules of Socratic reasoning basic to this spirituality, which any interested individual can practice today. LaFarque supports his interpretation by a close reading of the Greek text of key passages in Plato's dialogues. The work also undertakes a broader philosophical consideration, discussing the philosophical foundations proposed for this Platonism in relation to the thought of G. E. Moore, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Martin Heidegger, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Richard Rorty"--Page [4] of cover