Know Yourself Philosophy Essay Example

Plato’s statement “Know thyself!” represents the understanding that humanity can grasp the concept of self-identity through principles of justice, temperance, courage, and wisdom; using these qualities discussed throughout The Republic, one can develop the skills to realize when individuality is established. By using Plato’s findings, the difference between self-knowledge and knowingness can be determined. Applying these teachings to personal experiences then furthers the comprehension of self-identity and the many benefits that follow. The persistent theme of justice and injustice in The Republic relates to the content of the human soul, which will be further explored by the concept of “knowing thyself.”

Justice, temperance, courage, and wisdom are all brought together to form the understanding of self. All of these principles are stepping stones towards the fabrication of the human soul, which, according to Plato, is the actuality of self-knowledge. Justice and injustice are heavily discussed throughout the Socratic dialogue, with a focal point being the definition of justice. In Book IV, Socrates discusses the makeup of the human soul and its’ relationship to the State. The header of the first section in Book IV reveals the topic of justice within the individual. “… a city seemed just when three kinds of nature were present in it, and each did what is its own.” (Plato, The Republic, 435A-D) Socrates is referring to the three virtues: temperance, courage, and wisdom. The contents of functional justice lie within the three cardinal virtues represented in the State. “…we will thus expect the individual to have these same forms in his own soul, and rightly expect the same names for them as those for the city, …” (345A-D) The structure of the human soul and the State will require the same criteria to be just. The actions of the four cardinal virtues are consistently present when determining self-knowledge and comprehending the difference between “to know oneself” in conjunction with “to know.” 

The distinction between knowing oneself and having general knowledge relies on truth. A true sense of knowledge and a true sense of self-identity follow different concepts of honesty, establishing the importance of both. Socrates defines knowledge as “directed to what is, to know what is as it is.” Knowledge, therefore, must be the truth about real things, creating a contrast against opinion. Knowledge is a practical construct supported by real belief and unbiased truth. Instead of purely practical teachings, self-knowledge consists of both practical and theoretical teachings. This raises the notion of the visible and intelligible realms, which pertain to knowing and individuality. “… there are these two, the one king over the intelligible kind and place, the other again over the visible —” (509C-511E) The visible realm consists of mathematics and the arts, things that can be proven to be true. The intelligible realm consists of opinions and imagination. By combining the intelligible and visible realms, the human soul gains a sense of self-understanding and ascertains the differentiation between “to know oneself” and “to know.” Strength is one definite trait that is attributed to both ideas, but the continuation of gained potential is found more throughout identity than the latter. 

To “know thyself” is beneficial to the individual by empowering and strengthening their convictions. Self-awareness and insight allow humans to not only be more empathetic towards themselves but also others. “… maintaining self-identity is important because it strengthens your character. That is when we know who we are, have confidence in ourselves, and can identify our strengths, we emerge as stronger individuals.” (The Threefold Advocate) According to Tasha Eurich from Harvard Business Review, to gain constructive insight into self-awareness, we need to ask the questions, of not only “what”? but “why?” as well. “Self-awareness isn’t one truth. It’s a delicate balance of two distinct, even competing, viewpoints.” Throughout The Republic, I believe the questions of what? and why? are frequently posed, especially in regards to self-awareness. For example, “What is the true definition of justice?” and “Why is it important to the knowledge of the human soul?” By using both viewpoints, the significant concept of justice concerning the structure of humanity is easier to make sense of. These viewpoints are particularly beneficial when looking at self-awareness from a personal perspective. 

My personal experience of “the quest to find oneself” is more or less a complicated one, but I find that to be true for most. I also believe it to be a journey I am still on, not quite knowing when I will complete it. Being a child who moved around constantly, I had a lot of interactions with different types of people. At that young age, our brains are impressionable, conforming only to what we are taught and shown. I often found myself taking on others’ hobbies and traits. It was not until my last year in high school that I realized I could take responsibility for my actions and be unapologetically me. Since transitioning into college, I have found that I have made the most progress in my journey in the shortest amount of time. It is liberating to not have my parents constantly trying to shape my brain with their own hands. I consider the most important quality in your journey to be the ability to remember amour propre or to “love own.” There is no set timeline for growth, take your time and learn to forgive yourself. 

Socrates deems self-identity and individualism to be important to gain the full potential of the human soul. Through cardinal virtues and truth, one can begin to comprehend the difference between “to know” and “to know oneself.” The Republic carries a constant theme of relating to justice, which is ingrained in the human order. By exploring the concept of “know thyself”, the prevalence becomes obvious, not only in the Socratic dialogue but in the context of humanity.