The Human Person and Truth

This paper explores Socrates and Friedrich Nietzsche's differing beliefs on the concept of truth, what constitutes true knowledge, and the human ability to understand it.

3,155 words () | 9 sources | MLA | 2008 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at the ideas of Socrates as passed on to his student Plato and then to Aristotle and compares these ideas to Frederich Nietzsche's beliefs. The paper explains that Aristotle sees truth as an interaction between our soul and the observable world while to Nietzsche, truth is a creation of the human mind.

Outline:
Socrates and Plato
Aristotle
Nietzsche

From the Paper:

"One of the most important discussions of the nature of truth, knowledge and the human ability to understand it, comes from The Apology of Socrates, by his student Plato. The Apology is an account of Socrates trial in 399 B.C. Along with Plato's description of Socrates' debate with Meno, The Apology helps us understand both the Socratic method of inquiry and the world view which justifies this type of learning by discussion.
"Socrates was charged with corrupting the youth of Athens and of not believing in the Gods of Athens. Plato sets the scene with Socrates opening statements in which he asks to be allowed to speak to the judge and jury. Socrates explains that he is an old man and that this is how he teaches. He asks, "...think only of the justice of my cause, and give heed to that: let the judge decide justly and the speaker speak truly. (Jowett, 1)"

Sample of Sources Used:

"The Allegory of the Cave" From Warmington and Rouse, eds. (1999). Great Dialogues of Plato: Complete Texts of the Republic, Apology, Crito Phaido, Ion, and Meno, Vol. 1. 1999: New York, Signet Classics. p. 316. 17 March 2006, 11 March 2007.<http://faculty.washington.edu/smcohen/320/cave.htm>
Cunningham, Craig A. "Theory and Philosophy" School of Art Institute of Chicago.Fall 2001. 11 March 2007.<http://cuip.uchicago.edu/~cac/arted/aristotle.htm>
Davidson, A.L. (2002). "Aristotle on the soul" essortment PageWise, Inc. 11 March 2007.<http://azaz.essortment.com/aristotlesoulp_rmeb.htm>
Jowett, Benjamin (Translation). "Apology by Plato." University of Adelaide E-Books@Adelaide. 3 Feb. 2007, 10 March 2007.<http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/mirror/classics.mit.edu/Plato/apology.html>
Kemerling, Garth "Plato: Immorality and the Forms." Philosophy Pages.27 Oct. 2001, 11 March 2007.<http://www.philosophypages.com/hy/2f.htm>

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APA Citation:

The Human Person and Truth (2012, January 15). Retrieved February 13, 2012, from http://www.academon.com/Comparison-Essay-The-Human-Person-and-Truth/102457