Purification in Plato
A Brief Analysis of Catharsis
Abstract
This article examines purification (kátharsis) in Plato's philosophy, with an emphasis on the Phaedo, highlighting its role in the separation between soul and body as a condition for true knowledge. It also proposes a grammar of purification in Plato, illustrating how this concept structures his views on knowledge, ethics, and ontology, establishing kátharsis as a central principle of his metaphysics. In the epistemological realm, kátharsis appears as an imperative, requiring the withdrawal of the senses for the contemplation of truth. This separation also has an ethical dimension, as attachment to the body leads to ignorance, while purification directs the soul toward wisdom. Thus, philosophy is framed as a cathartic exercise that prepares and purifies the soul, enabling it to reach its true nature by freeing itself from bodily influences and turning to the intelligible.
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