Summary of Plato's divided line and ethics. Part 2

Moving down the divided line, we find Plato's concept of the higher ideas, beginning with Mathematics. He believed that math was a constant in all societies all over the world. If you were to travel from Ancient Greece to Ancient China, you would find comparable practices in math and similar concepts of geometry.

The end of this divided line is Plato's idea of the Forms in which are included Truth, Beauty and the Good. As a formalist, he believed what is right is right and wrong is wrong, so the concept of the Forms is easily attributable to that idea. And finally, he believed that to be an ethical person, it was important to look within yourself and discover the higher ideas in your own soul. Plato believed that these ideas were innate within everyone and an inward journey would unlock their mysteries.

Key to Plato's ethics is his tri-partite soul. He claims that the human soul is divided into three parts:

the appetite - greed, hunger
the spirit - pride
and reason to control the spirit and appetite.

He believed that to attain a balance within yourself and the world you must use reason to control the appetite and spirit. If kept at a harmonious balance, one could achieve justice, or excellence. This would lead to a person's soul from the aforementioned three to a higher level of harmony. The appetite becomes Temperance, the Spirt becomes Courage and Reason becomes Wisdom. This makes you a just and ethical human being.

*last part tomorrow