Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
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DISCUSSION
399
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400 PHILOSOPHY AND PHENOMENOLOGICAL RESEARCH
probably not belonging to any union. Does Plato mean that the appetites
are like unskilled labor, incapable of excellence?
There is a second, larger 'wave' threatening to engulf us. Like justice,
sophrosyne is an architectonic or holistic virtue. It seems odd that Plato
should find it necessary to hire two architects for his house or for his city.
How, then, does he distinguish the sphere of influence of the one from
that of the other? In other words, what is the difference between sophro-
syne and justice? If I am building a house, perhaps I do need a landscape
architect, in addition to the architect proper, because I must have
a garden and paths leading to the street. But sophrosyne cannot be our
landscape architect; for it is concerned exclusively with internal arrange-
ments - whether of the soul or of the city -just as justice is. Should the
two architects come in conflict, how is the difference of opinion to be
resolved? There must be a higher boss, yet Plato does not provide any
super-architect. In fact, Plato seems to regard justice as the superior of
the two, but it is not at all clear why he does so.
While Plato provides specialists charged with the specialized functions
- for instance, rulers, warriors, and producers, in the city - he fails to
provide anybody charged with what I have called the architectonic
functions. Thus, there is no group representing either sophrosyne or
justice. One might suppose that the soul as a unity, or the city as a unity,
embodies the architectonic virtues. Now, there is a unified soul, but it is
doubtful that the city has a personality of its own or that there is, so to
speak, the 'spirit' of the community. On this topic, more below.
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A NOTE ON IWpOC6tV- IN PLATO'S REPUBLIC 401
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402 RESEARCH
PHILOSOPHYAND PHENOMENOLOGICAL
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A NOTE ON XCtOpOG64V
IN PLATO'S REPUBLIC 403
behalf of the self and its integrity, appetite is a part acting for itself and
usurping the place of the total self.
Plato, then, has good reason for denying excellence or arete to appetite,
even when it functions properly. The black horse, rebelling against the
charioteer may, after many efforts by the latter, be brought to submission.
But such obedience reflects no credit on the horse; it only shows the
strength of its master (Phaedrus 254e).
RAPHAEL DEMOS.
HARVARD UNIVERSITY.
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