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Plato

Member since 2005 · Posted 27 Mar 2005 · 22 comments

what is the point of reading Plato, your allegory, the one on the cave, I must say it is pointless. it doesn't do anyone any good, you know. it doesn't tell me how to know if I'm in a cave it doesn't tell me how to know if someone is crazy or if they have seen the truth, it doesn't tell me how to find the world of light. all it tells me is that we might all be in a cave staring at shadows on a wall, and frankly, what use are any of his dialouges anyway, because if I ever find out that I am in a cave then what have I learend besides Plato was right and poets are stupid.

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22 comments

[5] Dovina 28-Mar-05/7:13 AM Reply

Plato has some very worthwhile things to say. Try reading him when you're older.

[n/a] -=Dark_Angel=-, P.I. › Dovina 28-Mar-05/1:01 PM Reply

Such as?

[5] Dovina › -=Dark_Angel=-, P.I. 28-Mar-05/4:36 PM Reply

"God is not responsible for all things, but for good things only. Causes for evil must be sought elsewhere. To present God as the author of evil is suicidal, ruinous, impious." - The Republic

[n/a] edpeterson › Dovina 29-Mar-05/9:48 PM Reply

Is God responsible for things one man thinks good and another evil?

[5] Dovina › edpeterson 30-Mar-05/10:42 AM Reply

If a man thinks God is responsible for evil, then that man's opinion of God is suicidal, ruinous.

[n/a] edpeterson › Dovina 30-Mar-05/4:14 PM Reply

You didn't answer the question.

[n/a] zodiac › edpeterson 31-Mar-05/5:33 AM Reply

She never does. Dovina's real answer is most likely "Things other people believe are evil but I don't believe are evil are not actually evil. Ergo: trump." But it's unlikely she's even thought it out that far, and as things stand, she'll probably continue to "dodge" even the most simply put of questions and consider herself "wittier" and "more than usually astounding" for it.

[n/a] zodiac › edpeterson 31-Mar-05/5:34 AM Reply

PS-Dovina, if you've got a problem with me answering your questions for you, why don't you fucking try doing it for once?

[5] Dovina › edpeterson 31-Mar-05/7:06 AM Reply

I had a long, thoughtful answer written, hit "Submet" and it was gone because I was not logged in. It doesn't matter, just respond to what you think said.

[5] Dovina › Dovina 31-Mar-05/7:08 AM Reply

Hint: My answer contained the word "yes."

[n/a] richa › Dovina 31-Mar-05/10:40 AM Reply

Then your comment would have been needless. You got it right first time. If you are to put God at the centre of your universe then to say he causes evil things is ruinous and impious. This is true of every individual who puts God at the centre of their universe.

[5] Dovina › richa 31-Mar-05/10:59 AM Reply

That's what Plato is saying because he believs in God, and I agree with him from that perspective. Edpeterson is asking whether God is responsible for an act when different people view it as good and evil. It is one of the reasons I think God must be responsible for both good and evil.

[n/a] richa › Dovina 31-Mar-05/11:19 AM Reply

I think you need to be more open-minded.

[5] Dovina › richa 31-Mar-05/3:39 PM Reply

The fact that you claim to know one of my needs shows how closed minded you are.

[n/a] not_a_philosopher › edpeterson 30-Mar-05/3:06 PM Reply

maybe there is no evil only suffering and maybe suffering is based on attachment and an emphasis on wordly pleasures

this could be the best possible world
all evil could be for good

and there may be no God anyway

[n/a] not_a_philosopher › Dovina 30-Mar-05/3:00 PM Reply

i love plato and his allegory on the cave never ceases to amaze me and make me wonder about the nature of our world and about the nature of knowledge and his dialouge on socrates trial is amazing -

if perhaps you could remember in the future that the view of a poem is not necessarily the view of the poet it would be appreciated

[n/a] zodiac › not_a_philosopher 31-Mar-05/5:36 AM Reply

Too bad. You'd have probably come off cleverer if you'd been the speaker of the poem instead of yourself, but not much.

not_a_philosopher: if perhaps you could remember that the view of a comment is not necessarily the etc etc etc

zodiac: Trump.

[n/a] richa › not_a_philosopher 31-Mar-05/10:43 AM Reply

But the voice must be yours because

your are the only

one who talks like this.

..)

[n/a] -=Dark_Angel=-, P.I. 1-Apr-05/8:43 AM Reply

PAPAL ALERT: The Pope's condition can only be described as "unbelievably appalling" :(

[n/a] richa › -=Dark_Angel=-, P.I. 1-Apr-05/10:34 AM Reply

April Fool :)

[n/a] -=Dark_Angel=-, P.I. › richa 1-Apr-05/11:41 AM Reply

Is the April Fool the fact that it wasn't really an April Fool? -10-

[n/a] -=Dark_Angel=-, P.I. 1-Apr-05/11:47 AM Reply

PAPAL ALERT: The Pope's health has worsened to a point that is Beyond Thunderdome. The only things keeping him alive are Vatican denial, and a complex system of ropes, pulleys, and two-way mirrors. We just pray they can keep the white dumpling ticking for a few more hours, lest he suffer the ignobility of death on April Fool's Day :(