Plato's Body And Soul

1. Plato does not think that the people have a soul; he believes that the soul is just a different way of looking at the body. Both body and soul are a reflection of different layers of reality, and neither are divine. However, the soul is a more accurate representation of the truth than the body is. Plato considers the soul to be composed of three different parts: the rational part, the spirited part, and the appetitive part. The rational part binds the body and soul together by its thinking. Although the rational part is the smallest part of the soul, it rules over the rest. The spirited portion of the soul is also small, but it is larger than the rational part. The job of the spirited part of the soul is to feel and help rule; it encompasses …show more content…
Dawkins view of life says that all life, including humanity, was created via a natural process. In that way, humanity is not distinct from the rest of the lifeforms. Humans are the way they are because of their genetic structure. DNA is the “soul” of all life. DNA is theoretically in charge of the body and its function so that its information can be passed on. In this way, the role of Plato’s rational soul belongs to DNA, but the survival machine developed the ability to make decisions, and not always good ones, independent of DNA. In this way, the mind now thinks for body, and it also takes on the other two parts of Plato’s soul, the spirited and appetitive parts, as well as the rational part. Dawkins reason for the mind to have these qualities is attributed to time. Humans have taught themselves over the ages to care for others and have developed spiritual and emotional wants and needs. The physical needs of Plato’s appetitive part of the soul are innate to Dawkins survival machine and the rest of …show more content…
For the materialist, the body is only the carrier, protector, and reproduction vessel of DNA. The dualist might argue that somewhat more important in that it carries the mind/soul. However, one could argue that the materialist DNA is not much different from the dualist soul in they both control the body, but in different ways. The mind also differs more between the dualist view and materialist view. The mind according to the dualist is essential, unique, free, and eternal. The materialist would argue that the mind is only a product of time that some might be better off without. They might also argue that the mind should be under the control of DNA, and that it is definitely not