Starter

1. From what you learnt last lesson, summarise the Allegory of the Cave in 5 bullet points Starter

2. Lesson Objectives By the end of this lesson you will: Have refreshed your knowledge of the Allegory of the Cave Understand Plato’s Theory of Forms Looked at platos idea of the soul and a just society.

3. Plato’s Theory of Forms • The idea of the Forms is illustrated in the Allegory of the Cave. • Plato believed true reality existed beyond normal perceptions of the world. • What we perceive around us is a shadow of this truth.

4. Plato’s Theory of Forms • According to Plato the world we live in is a poor imitation of the real world. • Our world is constantly changing and we rely on our senses to understand what is going on. • You are not the same person you were 3 years/hours/seconds ago, cells are forever changing and ideas flit through our minds. • Plato was therefore sure that the real world is outside the one we live in. • This real world is unchanging and eternal. It is the world of ideas not senses, where there are perfect forms of the things we know on earth.

5. Task:

7. Activity Draw a dog or write down the essential qualities that define a dog

8. It is impossible to get a clear definition and rule out other animals at the same time. A 3 year old would have no problem distinguishing a dog from another animal. The child is identifying the form whilst we are getting bogged down with the details. The Form is not a shape, it is the essence of an object. A dog and all dogs have a degree of ‘dogginess’ due to participating in the form.

9. Recognising Forms We can recognise Forms because we are born with a dim recollection of them from our prior existence in the world of the Forms. There is an inner part of us (the soul) that does not change. It is eternal and, before it became tied down by a body, it was connected with the real world of Forms. Why/ how is Plato a dualist?

10. Plato’s Republic • In each situation, explain what you would do, and why: • Your teacher tells you to stay in breaktime to discuss your overdue homework, but you’re really hungry. Do you: • Listen, and think about how to do your homework better next time • Run off to the canteen so you don’t miss the good food • Argue back at the teacher

11. You have been on a diet. You are starving with hunger, and walking home. You will probably collapse if you don’t eat something. You find a chocolate bar in your bag that is one day past its Use-by date. Think carefully about whether the chocolate will kill you Eat the chocolate Stick to your diet, and throw the chocolate away You are on a Duke of Edinburgh camping trip. You are tired, hungry, and want to go home. Do you: Think – it’s much more sensible to go home to my nice warm bed, and spend more time on my maths homework Use my mobile (forbidden!) to order in pizza. Stick to the original rules and purpose of the expedition

12. Are you: • Mostly A – you use the thinking part of your soul too much • Mostly B – you follow your appetites too much • Mostly C – you use your will-power too much A mixture – congratulations! You have a well-balanced soul!

13. The Soul • Listen, and think about how to do your homework better next time • Run off to the canteen so you don’t miss the good food • Argue back at the teacher • Plato thought the soul had three parts: • Thinking • Appetite • Will power A good person is a person who keeps the right balance between those three parts of the soul

14. The Soul • Draw onto your diagram the three parts of the soul, according to Plato. Draw a picture to represent each one.

15. The ideal society • Plato said that the ideal society was like a person, and had similar three parts: • The rulers (who think) • The producers (who satisfy people’s appetites) • The warriors (who have the will-power to defend the city) • A just society is one where the different parts of society are well balanced, and don’t interfere with each other. Add these headings to your different parts of the soul

16. Your turn • Two teams: Athens & Sparta • I shall split each team into 3 groups • Each group has to take on the role of one part of the just society

17. Kings • You must come up with a set of laws on how your kingdom should be run: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ • What sort of education should people get?__________________________________________________________________________________________________

18. Warriors • You should draw up a strategy on how to defend the kingdom if it is attacked_______________________________________________________________________________________________ • What sort of weapons should you get?______________________________ • How will you train? _____________________________________________________________________

19. Producers • You must decide what food and goods you will produce • ____________________________________ • _____________________________________ • ______________________________________ • ______________________________________ • ______________________________________ • ______________________________________ • ______________________________________ • ______________________________________

20. Reflection • Which team would Plato say had the most just society? • Why?

21. However… • The world of the Forms is the philosopher’s world, therefore they should be the rulers!! • The ordinary person struggles to see past the illusion of this world because they are ruled by their senses. • Only the person who investigates and questions learns the truth behind the illusion. • Only the philosopher is capable of seeing into the world of the Forms because he can make judgements as he thinks independently of his senses.

22. The Material World (our world) Here the material objects exist, subject to change and decay. They take their identity from the way that they conform to their corresponding idea in the world of the Forms. The World of the Forms Here the patterns for the objects and concepts for the material world exist in a state of unchanging perfection. The material world is a shadow of the ‘real’ world of the Forms. It is the job of the philosopher to break free from the shackles of the material world and find the world of the Forms. Summing up...

23. Summing up continued… A Formis what a thing is Forms for Plato are unchanging and eternal Objects in this world imitate a Form which exists in the real world e.g. A beautiful person is an image of beauty We are born with a recollection of what Forms are Forms are only accessible to philosophers

24. Homework Research Kant’s ‘noumenaland phenomenal world’ and explain how this idea is similar to the world of the forms/ the form of the good. If you are not sure, just have a go and try! Due next lesson.