PHL 550 Study Guide - Final Guide: Immortal Souls
10 Apr 2017
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Document Summary
Plato famously distinguished between two worlds, or realms of being. Plato believe that we naturally strive to approximate the eternal world more closely, and each step we take in the direction of better understanding is a step in the direction of the eternal. As the cosmos is divided into two kinds of being, so, too, are we: plato conceives of persons as consisting of changing and perishable bodies and unchanging and immortal souls. So his division between two realms of being cuts directly through each of us. Plato distinguishes souls and body with respect to their very different susceptibilities to change. Diotima, a character in one of plato"s dialogues, expresses the opposing view. Socrates, plato"s mentor, asks diotima to teach him about the nature of love, and in their discussion she explains the intensity of sexual desire by identifying it with the desire to procreate.
