Introduction
Plato is one of the greatest and most prominent philosophers in world history. His thoughts were groundbreaking in his time and remain applicable today because people still have not found answers to many philosophical questions. The thinker led a remarkable life during a difficult epoch, marked by his discoveries. The central assumption in Great Dialogues of Plato is related to communication as one component of human nature and culture. Therefore, the Great Dialogues of Plato is a book that attempts to reveal human nature through the prism of communication, doubt, and dispute, which is why it has even drawn the attention of modern thinkers.
Historical Period of the Author
The historical period of Plato dates back to ancient Greece, long before the time of Christ. The philosopher was born in 429 BCE and died in 347 BCE (Great Dialogues of Plato viii). His childhood coincided with the Peloponnesian War, a conflict between Athens and Sparta that lasted over twenty years, ultimately resulting in the decline of Athens.
Before, Athens was a mighty, wealthy, and prestigious empire with considerable influence. Its democracy facilitated cultural and intellectual development and was a cradle of theater and various sciences. In other words, it was the era of the Greek Enlightenment, when people dared to challenge established foundations and sought new ideas. Contemplating various moral categories and abstract concepts, such as love, courage, and beauty, as well as approaches to knowledge and education, was characteristic of that era.
Nevertheless, Plato also experienced a period of overall insecurity in Athens. It was a confrontation between democracy and oligarchy, in which the oligarchy initially prevailed, but democracy was ultimately restored (Great Dialogues of Plato). Notably, Plato supported neither of the two opposing concepts due to their radical nature at the time.
Here, one can admit the philosopher’s remarkable feature, which is called ‘to doubt’, which seeps from each passage of the book. Perhaps the unstable times and upheavals in Athens shaped the core of Plato’s philosophy. Moreover, contemporary uncertainties may explain why the thinker’s ideas are currently topical.
The Thesis of the Book
The central thesis of the present book seems to be embodied in the assumption that the truth is born in a dispute. Plato’s Great Dialogues vividly emphasize the role of conversation and communication between people. Culture distinguishes humans from animals and shapes their understanding of the world, its phenomena, and processes. Communication is the means by which knowledge and experience are exchanged, enriching a conversational counterpart by providing them with different perspectives on the same object or phenomenon.
Nevertheless, it is possible to see another claim stating that doubting and questioning something is a peculiarity of human nature. Finding the correct answers involves a thorny path of unknowing and uncertainty. The key part of this statement is that no one can be convinced of their correctness.
In his turn, Socrates says that the correct opinion is less valuable than knowledge, and Menon agrees with him, pointing out that a knowledgeable person is always right. In contrast, the correct opinion is worthless without knowledge. Any conclusion may not end the discussion or reflection, as it can suggest several further questions, as is evident from the dialogue between Socrates and Menon (Great Dialogues of Plato, 21-69). Therefore, the balanced combination of dispute and doubt can lead people to deeper understanding and new revelations.
Key Metaphors and Their Relation to Thesis
When one wants to explain something or share an experience, they seek to make it closer to a dialog partner. In the Great Dialogues of Plato, Socrates employs metaphors in conversations with Ion and Meno to encourage them to understand his meaning and engage in the discussions. On the other hand, metaphors can also show how people think and what categories they use.
For instance, Menon calls Socrates a wizard who bewitches with charms and spells, and immerses the conversational counterpart ‘in puzzledom’ (Great Dialogues of Plato 36). Such Socrates’approach ‘ approach is reflected in one of the book’s theses regarding the dispute that clears a path to truth. It can be considered a true art of conveying an idea the most intelligibly or perplexing a dialog partner, determining whether the truth will be found.
Another portion of metaphors concerns virtue, namely, what it can be and how to teach it if possible. While discussing the concept, Socrates asked Menon whether justice is virtue or virtue because roundness is ‘a figure’ and white is ‘a color’ (Great Dialogues of Plato 26-27). He meant that virtue is a complicated word to define straightforwardly, while Menon was more certain in his answers. This episode is related to the book thesis in both dispute and doubt because both interlocutors attempted to determine the definition of virtue, but constant doubts impeded the ultimate decision.
Furthermore, Socrates compares exploring what virtue is to the hypotheses of geometricians when they define ‘a standing ground to start from’ (Great Dialogues of Plato 49). This idea suggests that one needs to clearly set the initial dimensions of the subject discussed before entering into a debate on something. Finally, making hypotheses also refers to doubting as an integral element in seeking truth.
Significance of Metaphors for Philosophy of Communication
Each discussed metaphor plays an essential role in the Philosophy of Communication. This conceptual framework regards various communication components, such as expressions, phrases, and others, as signifying different stances of human nature, such as origin or intentions. For instance, one can see Menon comparing Socrates to a wizard as a person who has not yet abandoned thinking from the perspective of inexplicable but axiomatically acceptable assumptions. It suggests that how an individual thinks forms a basis for consciousness, understanding of the world, and the potential to discover something new.
On the contrary, Socrates demonstrates his almost opposite characteristics. When he compares virtue to figures and colors, one may suggest that he is a man of science and advanced knowledge. Furthermore, the manner in which the philosopher sets forth his arguments shows that none can be sure in their own speculations. It relates to the Philosophy of Communication regarding reaching a common good because everything people share shapes the culture with its principles. In addition, the standpoint Socrates offers in the discussion about virtue shows that he possesses characteristics that make communication possible since communicating means sharing some information and finding areas of mutual interest, which contributes to the common good.
Implications for Philosophy of Communication
The discussed book provides plentiful implications and suppositions regarding culture and being human within the context of the Philosophy of Communication. Culture and communication complement each other and cannot be considered separately. Human beings are believed to have a body and a soul; thus, they require interacting with others to explore and nurture their development and the surrounding culture.
Furthermore, an incomplete individual cannot live without contributing to and taking from culture. Furthermore, only someone who communicates with others can be called a human and cultural being. As proven throughout the present reflection, communication ensures the transition of ideas, customs, insights, and principles from past to future generations. Cultural prosperity depends on the participation of society members and the exchange of information between them. Thus, as the book shows, even Greek philosophers cannot be considered geniuses because their ideas appear to be the fruits of disputes and finding common points.
Conclusion
To conclude, the Great Dialogues of Plato imply communication, dispute, and doubt in attempts to explore human nature. Plato lived in turbulent and intellectually prosperous times, which seem to have laid the foundation of his thinking. Thus, the main pillars of his book are the concepts of dispute and doubt.
Moreover, Plato’s work is abundant with metaphors that encourage readers to understand the surrounding world through communication and questioning. It is also possible to find tight connections to the Philosophy of Communication regarding personal characteristics and finding the common good through a constructive dialogue. Finally, the book provides valuable implications concerning the inextricable relationship between culture, humans, and communication.
Works Cited
Great Dialogues of Plato: Complete Texts of the Republic, Apology, Crito, Phaido, Ion, Meno, and Symposium. Translated by William H. D. Rouse, Penguin Group, 1984.