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Four Reasons Why Plato Matters


The four big ideas that Plato had for making life more fulfilled; still as relevant today as ever.

Four Reasons Why Plato Matters | Farnam Street

Stashed in: Think!, Philosophy, life, Philosophy, Farnam Street

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My favorite is 1. Think More

We rarely give ourselves time to think carefully and logically about our lives and how to lead them. Sometimes we just go along with what the Greeks called Doxa, or common sense. In the thirty-six books he wrote, Plato showed this common sense to be riddled with errors, prejudice, and superstition. … The problem is that popular opinions edge us toward the wrong values. … Plato’s answer is know yourself. (This) means doing a special kind of therapy: Philosophy. This means subjecting your ideas to examination rather than acting on impulse. … This kind of examination is called a Socratic discussion.

Yes, reading Plato is a purifying experience. Like his mentor, Socrates, he had little interest in the common opinions of the "marketplace" or central square in Athens. Sound investment advice.  

Yes! And Plato's key piece of advice -- Know Yourself -- is applicable in many places in life.

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