February 8, 2003
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“platonic” is wrong. i’ve decided that. platonic means ideal, perfect. and yet a platonic relationship does not involve sex. how the hell is that ideal? i’m pretty sure that most of the population would agree that saying a relationship is “platonic” is a little ironic.
i’ve decided i disagree with plato. so, as far as i understand it, this is what plato believes:
There is a perfect, abstract form of everything present in the “real” world. Human beings evolve to see that perfect form. This is reality. The ultimate evolution of humans will enable them to perceive the same thing. Reality is an abstraction. Thus, there is one, supreme, real definition of justice, beauty, etcetera; there is one true, perfect form for a stapler, shirt, etcetera.
now, the problem i see with this is, it denies a concrete reality, yet it simplifies abstractions into concreteness. it states that there is only ONE perfect form of anything. and, that the reason things are not perceived as this in our “real” world, is because of our perceptions and the differences we create in our minds. so, does this mean that every table is truly the same, and it is only our perceptions that differ? so, why do we all see approximately the same thing. one table has four legs, another has three. any person could tell you which was which. so does this mean that there are separate perfect forms for three- and four-legged tables? are all tables the same color, size, shape? i don’t buy it.
anyways, this is what i’ve decided i believe: there is an exact, independent reality. when humans perceive it, we interpret it differently, but as well as our senses can allow. since we are all the same species, so have the same sensory organs, and we have grown up in the same culture, we see approximately the same things. a poverty-stricken chinese kid would probably see a different thing than we would when he looked at a bowl of rice, or a woman, or a mountain. so, there is an independent, single reality. each person might interpret it differently. this reality is the absolute truth, and anything that exists within it, unaltered by our perspective, is the absolute truth. but, there is another truth that changes for each person, based on their experiences, ideas, perspective. this truth is not absolute, since there can only be one absolute truth. but it is still truth, and it is a truth that exists within the person. so, there are an infinite number of definitions of abstract concepts, that all exist for each person. so, two kinds of truth, a single absolute truth independent of our perspective, and a general truth that is individual to each person.
eh, that’s enough of my yammering. this is going to mess with my head, i can tell. it’s already gotten me thinking philosophically. no! stop before it’s too late! if i start using my brain regularly it’ll get used to thinking, and then where will i be?
Have a great week ahead, you all
Comments (6)
Ok I admit.. I got dizzy when I got to ironic and platonic.. thinking today is not my thing!! I hope you have a lovely evening though and a great tomorrow!!
Definetly made for some interesting reading and thinking. Good to see you again too. Have a great day..
Love may become platonic when it is impossible , i think .
Love Michel
This is a great post!!!!!…Continue “thinking”…I agree with many of the things you’ve posted here…Awhile back, I also posted a piece on “perception vs reality”.
I am doing a project on Plato right now, so I found it a little strange that I stumbled onto your xanga at this time! Anyway, I don’t know a whole lot about this and I don’t know if I actually agree with Plato either.
No no no, always think philosophical!! We need more of these people in the world. I don’t know, maybe I pounder higher things way more than I should. But it’s good for you! hehe.
To me, Plato was so important just because he philosophized and abstracted and legitimized those pursuits. He most certainly made some huge mistakes.
I absolutely agree with your first paragraph. Yet I think it’s necessary for most of us to either have such relationships or have no close friends of the opposite sex besides our mate. In a perfect world, perhaps we’re all comfortable with polyamory, but I for one would have a tough time adjusting.
Sorry for the heavy comment out of the blue!