Question

Show how Plato proves the tripartition of the soul in Republic IV. What is the homunculus fallacy and is Plato guilty of it?

Answer 1

Plato argues that the soul comprises three parts namely rational, appetitive, and spirited. These parts also match up the three ranks of a just community. Personal justice involves maintaining the three parts in the proper balance, where reason rules while appetite obeys. According to Plato, the appetitive part of the soul is the one that is accountable for the desires in people. It is accountable for the effortless cravings required to stay alive like hunger, thirst, and for pointless cravings like desire to overfeed. The desires for essential things should be limited by other sections of the soul, while illegitimate desires ought to be limited entirely by other elements of the soul.

The rational soul, on the other hand, is the thinking element in every human being, which decided what is factual and merely obvious, judges what is factual and what is untrue, and intelligently makes sensible decisions. Finally, the spirited soul produces the desires that love victory and honor. In the just soul, the spirit acts as an implementer of the rational soul, making sure that the rules of reason are adhered to. Emotions like indignation and anger are the impact of the disappointment of the spirit. Someone might respond to the claim that the soul comprises of three parts.

homunculus fallacy is an argument that accounts for a phenomenon in terms of the very phenomenon that it is supposed to explain, which results in an infinite regress. In many of the theories, Plato is guilty of it.