Plato's Theory of the Soul

Plato developed a theory on the soul and its nature, presenting one of the first rational psychologies. Plato had two primary intentions in his theory of mind:

• Ethical: To demonstrate the necessity of controlling the body's instinctive tendencies and to assure a future reward for those who practice righteousness, contrasting with Sophist immorality.
• Epistemological: To justify the possibility of attaining knowledge of the Ideas.

Platonic Dualism

Plato's worldview is dualistic, divided into two realms: the world of Ideas and the world of things. In humans, the body and soul are distinct and separate.

• The Body

  The body is considered the prison of the soul, a negative burden that creates needs, diseases, and desires which hinder the search for truth. Plato suggests it is an impediment from which the soul must gradually free itself to gain access to the contemplation of the Ideas. The body inclines the soul towards ambition, violent behavior, and sensory pleasures.

  Plato is convinced that death is the best thing that can happen to the philosopher, and philosophy itself is a preparation for death.

• The Soul

  The soul is superior to the body as it constitutes our true self. It represents the most authentic part of the human being; the body is merely a shadow. The soul gained its knowledge when it was in contact with the Ideas.

Parts of the Soul

Plato's theory of the soul is tripartite, though he also speaks of an immortal part and mortal parts more tied to the body:

• Rational Soul

  Of divine nature and located in the brain, it is immortal and intelligent. It is dedicated to pure thought and seeks the contemplation of truth.

• Spirited Soul

  A source of noble passions, located in the heart and inseparable from the body. It is mortal.

• Appetitive Soul

  Located in the abdomen and mortal. It is the source of lower passions and ignoble feelings.

The Immortality of the Soul

Plato argues that the soul is immortal by nature, though he also mentions its creation by the Demiurge. While he offers various arguments for immortality, he himself considered them probable rather than definitively proven, giving them a relative scope.

Transmigration and Fate of the Soul

Plato posits that souls, created equal, eternal, and timeless by the Demiurge, then incarnate in concrete, spatiotemporal material bodies. After death, the soul embarks on a journey, potentially transmigrating through various bodies over a thousand years, ultimately choosing its next life based on its past actions (as depicted in myths like the Myth of Er).