The significant distinction between these two philosophers is that, although Socrates seldom spoke about the soul of the human being, Plato emphasized the soul of the human being more than the body. Plato perceives the self as a knower, and the notions of self and learning are closely intertwined (“Plato’s concept of the self,” 2022). His practical understanding relies on his reflections on the essence of the rational soul as the ultimate kind of cognition. Plato defines a human being as having a body and a soul (“Plato’s concept of the self,” 2022). The body is the physical and destructible component of the human being, but the soul is ethereal and unbreakable. The philosopher contends that the soul is separate from the body; hence, the soul is the self.
On the other hand, Socrates considered the soul a human’s intellectual and ethical identity. According to the philosopher, the soul is the essence of the person’s ability to think and will (“Socrates’ concept of the self,” 2022). As a result, for Socrates, the soul or self is the responsible agent in comprehending and behaving correctly or incorrectly (“Socrates’ concept of the self,” 2022). The self is founded on understanding and ignorance, goodness, and badness, and as individuals seek self-knowledge, they finally realize their genuine selves.
To conclude, Plato claimed that the actual self of individuals is the reasoning or cognition that comprises their soul and is apart from their body. On the contrary, Socrates believed that the sense of the self reveals the essence of a person. The philosopher questioned how people value what others say without comprehending the idea of separate thoughts. Hence, his argument was based on the fact that an individual’s potential is a product of the self. Finally, Socrates highlighted that people must trust their ideals and not be influenced by society.
References
Plato’s concept of the self. (2022). Philo-notes. Web.
Socrates’ concept of the self. (2022). Philo-notes. Web.