Plato’s Best Phrases To Understand The World

There was a time when Ancient Greece was synonymous with splendor and wisdom. Philosophers like Plato lived with poets, mathematicians, astronomers and other scholars, although there was never anyone better than him to express the thoughts of his generation. Plato’s best phrases are those that focus on understanding, individualism, and self-knowledge.

It is not very daring to consider this philosopher as one of the most reactionary of this period. Although it is true that the long shadow of Socrates and his influence still hangs over his achievements, it was not something that in his day bothered him excessively.

As a great sage, considering the opinions of more intelligent others was an honor for him.  Due to his urgent need to write down all his ideas, today we can access his writings, advice and lessons with great ease.

Thanks to his discoveries, this Athenian fond of gymnastics ended up becoming, together with Aristotle and Socrates, one of the great figures of Western philosophy. Philosophy that today centers the foundations of our education, politics and contemporary thought.

Plato’s best phrases to understand the world

1. “It is not the eyes that see, but what we see through the eyes”

Plato uses an allegory, The Myth of the Cave, to explain the relationship of the physical world to the world of ideas. The group of people chained inside the cave believe that this is their only reality  and when they manage to see what is outside, the sun damages their eyes. They want to go back to the dark, because it is more comfortable and it is what they are used to, but on their return their perception of the world has changed.

With this fable, the philosopher urges us to ask ourselves why we are chained. Are we afraid of what we might discover if we let go of our chains? The shadows that we observe from inside the cavern simulate a deceptive reality and distract us from the true reality: what happens outside.

2. “The wise man will always want to be with the one who is better than him”

One of Plato’s best phrases centers on his belief that the world should be ruled by philosophers. According to him, they are the wisest and the most qualified to rule. Because he belonged to an aristocratic family, he was deeply anti-democratic, although he was never afraid to show his discontent with government measures.

He greatly admired other philosophers, such as Socrates, from whom he considered he could learn a lot. Thanks to him he discovered an absolutist conception of universal truth, beyond the ideas that he might have as an individual. It is always necessary to surround yourself with people who can teach us something, even if we do not agree with them.

3. “We must look for a cause other than God for our ills”

Given his admiration for Socrates, of whom he was a disciple, his death sentence for propagating alleged pagan theories affected him deeply. He considered it unfair to be executed for proposing alternatives to the established ones, which were not even such.

From his mentor he learned that people are not bad by nature, but by ignorance. The human being himself is the owner of his actions and responsible for his decisions. To hide behind a God to perform unjust actions is an aberration.

4. “No human cause deserves such anxiety”

This statement has become one of Plato’s best phrases. No human cause deserves our anguish and stress. If we stop to think, most of the time we worry about trivial things that have an easy solution.

In the situation where anxiety is really justified, we must manage it.  We cannot let it affect our health or make us feel even more miserable.

5. “Looking for the good of our fellow men we will find ours”

This fifth piece of advice is currently a hymn to understanding and kindness. Plato’s maxim was to establish a just regime, allowing people to live in peace. Unfortunately he did not succeed, but it is never too late for the rest of us to do our bit.

Helping others not only benefits them, but also us. It makes us feel useful and empathize with others, generating a very satisfying feeling.

Plato was ahead of his time. Despite his numerous criticisms for his antagonistic positions, his teachings are still valid today. Our problems are very similar and maybe if we put his advice into practice we would learn to see life from another perspective.