plato

• Plato's view on the body/soul relationship are shaped by his dualistic understanding of the nature of the soul

  • the physical body = subject to corruption + change; it imprisons the soul
  • the body is a source of endless trouble in its attempt to distract the soul with its fears + desires
• Plato believed the soul is separate from the body + is eternal

  • it is aware of this despite its memories of the Forms being blurred
• Plato believed that at death, the body perishes but the soul leaves it to return to the world of Forms

  • then the soul is reborn
  • or (few) remain in the eternal world
• Plato concludes about the body/soul relationship that the soul is separate from the body but gives it life + directs it
• evaluation of Plato's view on the body/soul relationship

  • it doesn't fit in with the instincts of many people + the view of modern science that the mind/soul are not separate entities