an overview of platonism

Platonism is simply the theology derived from the works of Plato. Plato had a scattering of works dealing with a varied number of subjects. Some of his works spoke as if the Greek gods were real, but this seems to be tongue in cheek. In The Republic, Plato lambasts anyone who believes in the Greek gods and posits a monotheistic explanation. Plato’s really influential works describe an ultimate creator. The basic idea for this creator was that he was ultimately “good” and from that attribute all other attributes flowed.

Here is Plato in the Republic, book 2:

Shall I ask you whether God is a magician, and of a nature to appear insidiously now in one shape, and now in another–sometimes himself changing and passing into many forms… or is he one and the same immutably fixed in his own proper image?

…if we suppose a change in anything, that change must be effected either by the thing itself, or by some other thing… And things which are at their best are also least liable to be altered or discomposed; for example, when healthiest and strongest, the human frame is least liable to be affected by meats and drinks, and the plant which is in the fullest vigour also suffers least from winds or the heat of the sun or any similar causes… and will not the bravest and wisest soul be least confused or deranged by any external influence?

…Then everything which is good, whether made by art or nature, or both, is least liable to suffer change from without… surely God and the things of God are in every way perfect… Then he can hardly be compelled by external influence to take many shapes?

…If he change at all he can only change for the worse, for we cannot suppose him to be deficient either in virtue or beauty… Then it is impossible that God should ever be willing to change; being, as is supposed, the fairest and best that is conceivable, every God remains absolutely and for ever in his own form.


In this text, Plato starts with the assumption that god is only good and not evil. Futhermore, god is perfection in all characteristics (“the fairest and best that is conceivable”). This is Plato’s starting assumption, god is the ultimate good (“the Summum Bonum”) and god is perfect (the best thing conceivable). From these attribute, Plato reasons that god must be immutable.

Here is the logic, often repeated by modern Calvinists: If something perfect were to change, then it would have to change for the worse. If it changes for the worse then it would not be perfect. Thus god does not change.

Plato uses this idea of the perfect being, and in Timaeus, expands on it:


Because god is perfect, god cannot be in time. Instead, god must be in an eternal now, not subject to change, while the rest of creation is a moving picture of eternity (like a movie playing out).

So to Plato, god was the Summum Bonum, perfect and timeless. In Plato’s mind, the goal of his religion was to return to a similar state as his god. In this sense, every good practitioner of true religion strives to purify their souls in order to return to a state of immortality.

From Phaedrus:



To Plato, the material world was bondage for the soul. Plato believed that imperfect souls became part of the material world, where perfect souls became part of the immortal world. The souls could change their states by purification. Mortal humans, to become immortal, would have to become like god. Plato explains the working of this purification in Phaedo:

And I conceive that the founders of the mysteries had a real meaning and were not mere triflers when they intimated in a figure long ago that he who passes unsanctified and uninitiated into the world below will live in a slough, but that he who arrives there after initiation and purification will dwell with the gods. For “many,” as they say in the mysteries, “are the thyrsus bearers, but few are the mystics,”-meaning, as I interpret the words, the true philosophers.


Platonic purification was disdain for earthly pleasures. An initiate would disdain all lust, pleasure, money and all other worldly things. The initiate would then meditate on becoming like god. This is the Platonic ascent.

The Platonic religion was one in which god was the ultimate good (“the summum bonum”), god was changeless and timeless perfection, and the goal of human beings were to become purified to join god in immortality. This is actually the meaning of Plato’s famous allegory of the cave.

During and after the time of Jesus, Neo-Platonistism would arise expanding on the attributes of the “summum bonum” and shaping the early Christian church’s views on God. Next article: an overview of neo-platonism.

About christopher fisher

This entry was posted in God, Immutablility, Plato. Bookmark the permalink.

5 Responses to an overview of platonism

  1. gricketson01 says:

    For immortal no such union can be reasonably believed to be; although fancy, not having seen nor surely known the nature of God, may imagine an immortal creature having both a body and also a soul which are united throughout all time…— looks like an attempt to deny the incarnation before it happened,hmmm

  2. gricketson01 says:

    or that was just a knock on the mythical greek gods?

  3. Pingback: an overview of neo-platonism | reality is not optional

  4. Pingback: understanding colossians 2 | reality is not optional

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