The Tripartite Soul in Plato's "Republic" and "Phaedrus"

Abstract

My thesis addresses how and why Plato alters his presentation of the tripartite soul in the Republic and Phaedrus dialogues. I argue that Plato makes these alterations to match the themes of both dialogues. My approach employs the use of perspectivism to explain Plato’s different explorations of the soul. In the Republic, Plato uses a model of a city to show how the theme of justice influences his exploration of the tripartite soul. In the Phaedrus, Plato uses the charioteer allegory to demonstrate how the themes of love and rhetoric influence his exploration of the same tripartite soul. These different explorations complement one another by offering different insights because of Plato’s changing perspectives. By recognizing this approach, we can better understand Plato’s dialogues and their relationship to each other.