Plato's Arguments for Unity of Intelligent and Intelligible

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Philosophy, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

2 Professor, Department of Philosophy, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

3 Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Unity of intelligent and intelligible has its supreme formation in philosophy of Mulla-Sadra. But this fact according to many philosophical texts is rooted in the philosophy of ancient Greek. For instance, it is recognizable in Plato, Aristotle and even Parmenides. Plotinus’s Enneads are ample of arguments about union of intelligent and intelligible and explanations and applications of this important philosophical principle. This essay tries to trace this principle in Plato by investigating his own texts. Of course, this is not going to be a kind of imposing Sadra’s philosophical views on Plato but rather to unveil common fundamental weltanschauungs and to show innate correlations and beyond-historical kinship of this philosophies. This essay tries to achieve this kinship in Plato by reconstructing his arguments for union of intelligent and intelligible and by this means contributes to study the historical development of this idea. To accept or deny the union of intelligent and intelligible makes important and meaningful divergences on reading and understanding Plato. The conclusions of Unity of intelligent and intelligible in interpreting plato’s Doctrines are discussing at the end with some instances. 

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

Alizadeh, B. (2001A). An Approach to the History of the Theory of Rational and Reasonable Unity, Quarterly Journal Matin, 3(11-12), 110-127.
Alizadeh, B. (2001B). Fundamentals of the Theory of the Wise and Reasonable Unity, Quarterly Journal Matin, 4(17), 123- 148. (in Persian)
Aristotle. (1997). De Anima, Trans. A. M. Davoudi, Hekmat. (in Persian)
Aristotle. (1998). Metaphysics, Trans. SH. Khorasani, Hekmat. (in Persian)
Ashtiany, Jalal Addin (2001) Sharh-e Hal Va Ara-ye Falsafi-ye Mulla Sadra, Islamic Propaganda Office. (in Persian)
Bormann. K. (2010). Platon, Trans. M. H. Lotfi, Tarh-e No. (in Persian)
Diba, H. (2009). A New Approach to the Issue of Wise and Reasonable Unity, Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute. (in Persian)
Friedlander, P. (1958). Plato an Introduction, Trans. H. Meyerhoff, Panthenon Books.
Gerson, L. P. (2005). Aristotle and other Platonists, Cornell University Press.
Hassanzade-ye-Amoli, H. (1996). Lessons from the Union of the Wise with the Reasonable, Ghiam Pub. (in Persian)
Helmig C. (2012). Forms and Concepts, De Gruyter.
Hussel, E. (2002). Cartesian Meditations, Trans. A. Rashidin, Ney Pub. (in Persian)
Hyland, D. A. (2004). Questioning Platonism, State University of New York Press.
Jaeger, W. (1998). Paideia, Trans. M. H. Lotfi, Kharazmi Pub. (in Persian)
Perl, E. (2014). The Motion of Intellect on the Neoplatonic Reading of Sophist 248e-249, The International Journal of the Platonic Tradition, 8 (2014), 135-160.
Plato. (1997). Plato Complete Works, Ed. J. M. Cooper, Hackett Publishing Company.
Plato. (2001). ‌Plato Complete Works, Trans. M. H. Lotfi, Kharazmi Pub. (in Persian)
Plotinus. (1987). Plotinus Complete Works, Trans. M. H. Lotfi, Kharazmi Pub. (in Persian)
Press, G. A. (2019). Plato: A Guide for Perplexed, Trans. Iraj Azarfaza, Elmi Va Farhangi Pub. (in Persian)
Taylor, A. E. (2014). Aristotle, Trans. H. Fathi, Hekmat (in Persian)
Van, R. G. (2016). Plato’s Gods, Routledge.
Send comment about this article
CAPTCHA Image
Journal of Philosophical Investigations
Volume 19, Issue 50 - Serial Number 20
Articles
2025
Pages 261-282

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics