[ExI] Plato

[Dan TheBookMan]

‘Don’t believe you read on the internet.’ — Abraham Lincoln 

> On Aug 23, 2023, at 9:00 AM, BillK via extropy-chat <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
> 
> On Tue, 22 Aug 2023 at 16:00, William Flynn Wallace via extropy-chat
> <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
>> 
>> I esp.like #2 ad #5   bill w
>> 
>> 1. “Never discourage anyone...who continually makes progress, no matter how slow.”
>> 2. “Those who tell the stories rule society.”
>> 3. “Education is teaching our children to desire the right things.”
>> 4. “Courage is knowing what not to fear.”
>> 5. “There are three classes of men; lovers of wisdom, lovers of honor, and lovers of gain.”
>> 6. “The beginning is the most important part of the work.”
>> 7. “The greatest wealth is to live content with little.”
>> 8. “Good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others.”
>> 9. “Man is a being in search of meaning.”
>> 10. “The first and best victory is to conquer self”
>> _______________________________________________
> 
> 
> You have to be very careful when a 'wise saying' on the internet is
> attributed to someone famous or an ancient philosopher.
> If the actual source is not referenced, then they probably never said it.
> You might be surprised at the huge quantity of wise sayings that
> Einstein is supposed to have said.
> 
> None of these Plato sayings can be found in his writings, though most
> sort of could agree with his philosophy.
> I asked a search engine to do the hard work of investigation for me.
> 
> 1. “Never discourage anyone...who continually makes progress, no
> matter how slow.”
> This quote is often attributed to Plato, but there is no direct
> evidence that he actually said or wrote these exact words. However,
> the sentiment expressed in the quote aligns with Plato's philosophy of
> education and personal growth. Plato believed in the importance of
> nurturing and encouraging individuals who strive for progress,
> regardless of the pace at which they achieve it.
> 
> 2. “Those who tell the stories rule society.”
> This quote is not found in any of Plato's known works. It is commonly
> misattributed to him, but there is no evidence to suggest that he ever
> made this statement. The idea behind the quote, however, resonates
> with Plato's belief in the power of storytelling and rhetoric in
> shaping society.
> 
> 3. “Education is teaching our children to desire the right things.”
> There is no evidence that Plato explicitly made this statement.
> However, it reflects his views on education as portrayed in his
> dialogues, particularly in "The Republic." Plato emphasized the
> importance of cultivating virtue and knowledge in individuals through
> education, aiming to guide them towards desiring what is morally right
> and just.
> 
> 4. “Courage is knowing what not to fear.”
> This quote is often attributed to Plato, specifically from his
> dialogue "Laches." However, there is no direct evidence that he used
> these exact words. Nonetheless, the concept of courage and its
> relation to fear was a recurring theme in Plato's works, particularly
> in "The Republic" and "Protagoras."
> 
> 5. “There are three classes of men; lovers of wisdom, lovers of honor,
> and lovers of gain.”
> This quote does not appear in any of Plato's known writings. While it
> captures a tripartite division of individuals based on their values,
> it cannot be attributed directly to Plato.
> 
> 6. “The beginning is the most important part of the work.”
> This quote does not originate from Plato's writings. However, it
> aligns with his philosophical ideas on the importance of laying a
> solid foundation and starting well in various endeavors.
> 
> 7. “The greatest wealth is to live content with little.”
> This quote is not found in Plato's works. However, it reflects a Stoic
> philosophy that emphasizes the value of inner contentment and
> detachment from material possessions, which can be seen as compatible
> with some aspects of Plato's teachings.
> 
> 8. “Good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others.”
> There is no direct evidence that Plato made this statement. However,
> the sentiment expressed aligns with his ethical philosophy,
> particularly his belief in the inherent value of virtuous actions and
> their potential to influence others positively.
> 
> 9. “Man is a being in search of meaning.”
> This quote is not attributed to Plato. It reflects a broader
> existential perspective on the human condition rather than a specific
> aspect of Plato's philosophy.
> 
> 10. “The first and best victory is to conquer self.”
> This quote is not found in Plato's writings. However, it encapsulates
> a Stoic idea of self-mastery and aligns with Plato's emphasis on
> self-improvement and the pursuit of wisdom.
> ---------------------
> 
> BillK