Platonic Anthropological Dualism: The Body and the Soul

Platonic Anthropological Dualism

Plato has a dualistic conception of man: man is composed of body and soul, which is known as anthropological dualism. Influenced by his master Pythagoras, he considered the union of soul and body purely accidental. The soul is considered immortal and immaterial and takes precedence over the body. It is the vital principle that gives life to the body and is also the beginning of knowledge.

The soul is a reality somewhere between the two worlds, tending to the Intelligible World, where it is referred to have pre-existed among the Ideas. Upon entering the Sensible World and being incarnated in a body, the mind forgets the Ideas, and only a trace remains, blurred and confused (the innateness of ideas). Thus, the theory of recollection posits that learning or knowing is nothing but remembering; obscure and confused knowledge can only collect light through education.

On the other hand, the body is material and mortal. Plato maintains a pejorative conception: the body is the prison of the soul. The body carries the soul to a sensible realm where neither virtue nor knowledge exists. It is an obstacle that distracts the soul from knowing the truth—a heavy load that the soul must win over and dominate.

The Tripartite Soul and the Path to Justice

Plato establishes a division of the soul into three parts, each linked to a specific function:

• The Rational Part: The seat of intelligence, unique to human beings.
• The Irascible Part: The source of passions and emotions, located in the chest.
• The Appetitive Part: The source of material desires, located in the lower abdomen.

These last two are irrational, linked to the body, and are also present in animals. There is a natural hierarchy in the soul; rationality should guide and control the irascible and appetitive parts. If this hierarchy is respected, there is agreement and harmony, and therefore, justice.

Each part of the soul develops a specific virtue:

• The rational part: Wisdom.
• The irascible part: Courage.
• The appetitive part: Temperance.

From the rupture of this natural order, injustice arises in the individual, which is nothing but disharmony. To achieve justice and harmony, the only route is knowledge.