Nietzsche and Plato

Comparison Essay # 102228

Literature
Philosophy > Ancient Greek
Philosophy > History - 20th Century

Nietzsche and Plato

This paper examines the themes of reality and illusion as presented by Friedrich Nietzsche and Plato.

820 words () | 3 sources | MLA | 2008 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper explores Nietzsche's essay "On Truth and Lying in a Non-Moral Sense" and Plato's books 'VII' and 'X' of "The Republic" where both philosophers explicity explore the man's problematic relationship with reality and consciousness. The author points out that Nietzsche and Plato both argue that man lives in some state of deception or illusion; however, their opinions regarding the true nature of truth and reality differ substantially. The paper relates that both Nietzsche and Plato recognize there is a medium in which human beings are deceived: For Plato, this medium is the ignorance of the visible realm; for Nietzsche, it is the language and concepts, which humans utilize.

From the Paper:

"To illustrate Plato's theory of truth and reality, he utilizes his allegory of the cave: he asks his audience to imagine a cave where prisoners sit bound in chains since childhood. The prisoners' lives consist of the observation of shadows, and these shadows are representative of copied forms. All in all, "the shadows of artifacts would constitute the only reality people in this situation would recognize." It is the cave, which to Plato, represents the visible realm, a world of ignorance and false reality."

Sample of Sources Used:

"The Truth of Fictions: Representation and the Construction of Self." 1-17, 27-37.
Plato. "Books VII, X." The Republic. 64-80.
Nietzsche, Friedrich. "On Truth and Lying in a Non-Moral Sense." 874-884.