Evil and Social Responsibility: Investigating the Original Research Requisties of Platonic Idealism and Josiah Royce's  Idealistic Theolog

Sanaee, Ali

doi:10.22054/wph.2023.70773.2122

Evil and Social Responsibility: Investigating the Original Research Requisties of Platonic Idealism and Josiah Royce's Idealistic Theolog

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Ali Sanaee

Associate professor at Semnan university

https://doi.org/10.22054/wph.2023.70773.2122

Abstract

Abstract
In this article, by referring to some of Plato's most important works, we explain his view on evil. Due to the fact that he considers sensations to be a weak representation of immutable truths, the basis of this view is in the Neoplatonic tradition that evil has a non-existent aspect. This attitude is far from a realistic approach to life, because the
life of living beings in general and the life of man in particular, is faced with various types of metaphysical evil, and man, as a being with authority, is also subject to or the origin of moral evil. Although based on specific reading, one can look for the plan of the world like Plato in the light of his encounter with the death of Socrates and trying
to escape from it, because of the ruling attitude of the ancient world which is based on the class system, Plato also has an elitist approach and instead ofemphasizingindividual responsibilities, he points to the establishment of philosophers as a model of intellectual celibacy and moral virtues in society. This is while in modern society where
individual values are important, a reliable connection is established between the issue of evil and social responsibility. By referring to the philosophy of Josiah Royce, who is also an idealist thinker like Plato, we can understand that contemporary idealism cannot ignore the reality of evil in the same optimistic and holistic view of the world.
Royce looks at human sufferings realistically and emphasizes a
Evil and Social Responsibility: Investigating the Requisties of Platonic Idealism and Josiah Royce's Idealistic Theresponsible approach to reduce suffering and eliminate social shortcomings according to his theoretical foundations.

Keywords

Josiah Royce

Loyalty

Plato

Social Responsibility

Subjects

philosophy

Blau, Joseph L. (1956).“Royce’s Theory of Community”.The Journal of Philosophy. Vol 53. No 3. pp 92-98. Feb, Published by The Journal of Philosophy, Ine.Chilcott, C.M. (1923).“The Platonic Theory of Evil”.The classical Quarterly, Vol 17. No 1. pp. 27-31.
Davidson, Thomas. (1870). The Fragments ofParmenids. New York: John Wiley and Sons. Available(28/10/2022):https://ia600204.us.archive.org/29/items/fragmentsofparme00parm/fragmentsofparme00parm.pdfDoterer, Donald William. (1986). “Josiah Royce’s Philosophy of Loyalty: A Hermeneutical Tool for Pauline Theology”.American Jounal of Theology&Philosophy, Vol7. No3. pp.149-163.Grady, J.E. (1975). “Royce and Kant: Loyalty and Duty”. Journal of British Society for phenomenology, Vol.6, No.3, pp. 186-193Hackforth, R. (1946).“Moral Evil and Ignorance in Plato’sEthics”.TheClassicalQuarterly. Vol 40. No ¾. pp.118-120Kaag, John. (2021).“The Place of "The Problem of Job" in the Philosophy of Josiah Royce”.American Journal of Theology & Philosophy. Vol 33.No 1. pp 32- 56.Mohr, Richard. (1978).“Plato’s final thoughts on Evil::Laws X, 899-905”.Mind. New Series. Vol. 87. No 348. pp.572-575
Levinas, E. (1998).Entre nous: Thinking-of-the-other. Trans by M.B. Smith & B. Harshav. NewYork: Columbia University Press.168 4Monsman, Diana. (1940). “Royce’s conception of experience and of the self”. The philosophical review. Vol 49. No3. pp: 325-345.
Moreland, J.p. (2008). Consciousness and existence of God. New York: Routledge
Neumann, Henry. (1919). “Manechean Tendences in the History of Philosophy”. Jacob Gould Schurman,James Edwin Creighton, Frank Thilly, Gustavus Watts (eds), The philosophical review. volume 28.Plotinus. (2006).The six Ennead.Trans by Mackenna and B. S Page. Availabe(28/10/2022): https://www.documentacatholicaomnia.eu/03d/0204-
0270,_Plotinus,_The_Six_Enneads,_EN.pdfRamsey, Paul. (1946).“The idealistic view of moral evil: Josiah Royce And Bernard Bosanquet”.Philosophy and Phenomenologial
Soiety. Vol 6. No 4. pp. 554-589.Royce, Josiah. (1885). The Religious Aspect ofPhilosophy; A Critique of Conductand of Faith. Boston and New York: Hughland, Mifflin and Company. Available(28/10/2022): royceedition.iupui.edu/docu/1885.pdf.
Royce, Josiah; Conte, Joseph Le; Howison, G.H. (1898). Conception of God; A philosophical discussion concerning the nature of the divine idea as a demonstratable reality. London: Macmillan and Co. Available(28/10/2022):https://josiah-royce-edition.org/docu/1897.pdf……………... (1904). The world and individual; Nature, Man and the moral order. second series. London: Macmillan and Co. Available(28/10/2022):https://josiah-royce-edition.org/wp-ontent/uploads/2015/03/1900aThe-World-and-the-Individual-Series-Two.pdf
…………….)1906(. Studies of Good and Evil: Aserries of Essays upon of problems of philosophy and of life, New York: D. Appleton And Company. Avaiable(28/10/2022):
https://josiah-royce-edition.org/docu/1898.pdf…………… (1912). The sources of Religious Insight. Lectures delivered before Lake Forest College on The Foundation of the
Late William Bross. Edinburgh:Trustees of Lake Forest university. Available(28/10/2022