The Struggle for Unity in the Soul

A Greek philosopher and a Russian author share similar insights into the nature of the soul.

"Plato's Symposium," 1869, by Anselm Feuerbach. Public Domain

How can we become better people? What does it take to discard vice and embrace virtue? What’s the role of faith and reason in the pursuit of goodness?

These questions have interested humans for millennia. According to the Greek philosopher Plato and the Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky, attempts to answer these questions should consider the nature of the human soul.

The Soul in 3 Parts

Plato (circa 427 B.C.–348 B.C.) revolutionized the Western intellectual tradition with a series of dialogues that feature his mentor Socrates. Among them is the “Gorgias,” which explores the relationship among rhetoric, freedom, and justice.