Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Maryam Samadieh ¹
• Majid Mollayousefi ²

¹ PhD of Islamic Philosophy and Theology, Imam Khomeini International University

² Associate Professor, Department of Islamic Philosophy and Wisdom, Imam Khomeini International University

Abstract

According to Heidegger, Aletheia is a category by which one can understand the relationship between phronesis and Agathon; because Heidegger has used Aletheia in its Greek sense, i.e. disclosure and openness and not true in the sense of correspondence with the reality. Having accepted Aletheia as disclosure and openness, the relationship between phronesis and Agathon becomes possible in two ways. Firstly, phronesis, as conceived by Heidegger, refers to a mode of disclosure and openness or to put it more precisely, a mode of the existence of Dasein which is related to praxis and action and leads Dasein towards the best action, i.e. existential being. Agathon is also the source of Aletheia. To put it otherwise, it is the source of disclosure and openness as well as the source of being and Dasein. Secondly, Heidegger does not attribute the transcendence in Agathon to any supra-temporal and spatial existence, i.e. God, rather to Dasein himself. Said differently, Agathon includes the being and existing capabilities in Dasein and the latter’s transcendence lies in passing through the existing condition and reaching existential being which is possible through overcoming the habits and reaching disclosure and openness. Thus, Agathon is the touchstone of the behaviors of Dasein. This is what Heidegger refers to as the call of conscience in his discussion of phronesis and considers it a basis for phronetic action; this is a call that comes from Dasein and invites him to reach a mode of existential being that would allow it to know himself as a Dasein and act according to it. 

Highlights

Introduction

The relationship of Agathon or the idea of Good to phronesis is one of the topics that can be discussed by Heidegger since it is possible to make such an explanation in light of the interpretations Heidegger has made in his numerous works of phronesis and Agathon.

(Idea of Good) in Plato

The Idea of Good is one of the most important Plato teachings that have been discussed in numerous treatises, such as the Republic, Phaedrus, Phaedo, and The Symposium. The Agathon or the Good Idea {for Plato} is the idea of ideas. It should be noted that there are many interpretations of Plato's view of the Agathon and its reconciliation with God, etc.

Interpretation of the Agathon or the idea of Good

Should be noted that Heidegger does not consider Agathon's translation of a good idea to be a proper and proper translation, while Agathon in Platonic works have translated the idea of Good or Good. In discussing Agathon, Heidegger believes that Agathon is the source and origin of Aletheia. For Heidegger Althias, in fact, is self-discovery, and Agathon is the source of discovery and openness.

(Phronesis relationship with Agathon or the idea of Good)

Speaking, there are two major views regarding moral and educational perceptions of Agathon in Heidegger’s viewpoint. Some philosophers like Gadamer believe that Heidegger has focused on the aspect of disclosure and openness and Alethoen in the Agathon and neglected the moral and educational aspects of it. Some others like Snyder contend that moral and educational aspects of Agathon cannot be denied in Heidegger’s view. By evaluation these two aforementioned perspectives and also Heidegger’s works in which he has discussed the notion of Agathon, one can vividly see the moral and educational interpretation of Heidegger of Agathon. In fact, one can say that Heidegger in his discussion of Agathon as the first priority has alluded to Aletheia and its aspect of disclosure and openness; however, it does not mean that he has been neglectful of Paideia and moral aspect of Agathon; because the concept of Agathon is not separable from Paideia in Heideggerian sense at all. He considered Paideia to be a turn towards Agathon and reaching disclosure and openness. Actually, Aletheia, as conceived by Heidegger, is a category by which one can explain the relationship between Agathon and Phronesis; because Heidegger has used Aletheia in its Greek sense, i.e. disclosure and openness and not true in the sense of correspondence with the reality.

To Heidegger, Agathon is the source of disclosure and openness, or to put it more precisely, the source of being or even the Being itself; insofar as Heidegger declares that Agathon is Being and also being in its real sense. In other words, Agathon is both Being and being. He has even regarded something beyond Being and believes that it is simultaneously the source of Being and disclosure and openness; while, Phronesis is also a mode of Being and a mode of disclosure and openness. In fact, according to Heidegger, Phronesis is a mode of Dasein’s existence that is related to praxis or action and leads Dasein to an existential mode of being. Moreover, Heidegger has attributed the transcendence of being in Agathon not to any sublime entity that is trans-temporal and trans-spatial, i.e. God, rather to a finite and limited being called Dasein (Being-There). Given this interpretation, Agathon exists in Dasein’s existence and in one sense we can state that it is equal to conscience in Heidegger’s view which is the Dasein itself and invites it to reach self-knowledge. As a result, Agathon in Heidegger can be considered to be a criterion and touchstone of Phronetic action.  

 References

-      Craig, W. l. (1986) The cosmological argument from Plato to Leibniz, Macmillan press.

-      Dostal, R. J. (1985) "Beyond Being: Heidegger's Plato", Journal of the History of Philosophy, 23(1), pp.71-98.

-      Heidegger, M. (1998) Pathmarks, ed. W. McNeill. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

-      Jaeger, Werner (1947) Paideia, the Ideals of Greek Culture: Vol. II: In Search of the Divine Center, trans. Gilbert Highet, Basil Blackwell Oxford.

-      Kirkland, S. D. (2007) "Thinking in the Between with Heidegger and Plato". Research in phenomenology, 37(1), pp.95-111.

-      Nellickappilly, S., (2017) Aspects of western philosophy, chapter 35, "Martin Heidegger: The Ontology of Dasein and the Concept of Truth".

-      Zuckert, Catherine H. (1996) Postmodern Platos: Nietzsche, Heidegger, Gadamer, Strauss, Derrida, University of Chicago Press.

Keywords

• Heidegger
• Phronesis
• Agathon
• Idea of Good
• Aletheia