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The Masculine Soul

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Women in Plato’s Political Theory

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Abstract

The concept of soul is one of the most prominent and significant in Plato’s philosophy. The question of the soul’s immortality is a recurring theme in the dialogues and one upon which Plato’s theory of Knowledge rests. For Plato, Knowledge is arrived at by means of an ascent from a dark cave of ignorance and into the sunlight of Truth.’ It is, however, by way of the soul, guided by intellect that this ascent is achieved and human reason arrives at the spiritual realm of the Forms, a realm of absolute, unchanging entities such as Goodness, Truth and Love.2

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. South Bank University, London, UK

    Morag Buchan (Senior Lecturer in Political Theory)

Authors
  1. Morag Buchan
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Copyright information

© 1999 Morag Buchan

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Cite this chapter

Buchan, M. (1999). The Masculine Soul. In: Women in Plato’s Political Theory. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230389267_3

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