ather itself together by itself, to trust only itself and whatever reality, existing by itself, the soul by itself understands…” (Plato 122). After reading this, it is extremely evident that Plato agrees with Descartes in saying the senses deceive the mind, and the human is therefore able to exist separate from the physical body. Besides the two philosophers agreeing about the distinct existence of the human being outside the body, both philosophers seem to believe humans are born with certain ideas present within their minds. Plato teaches that after the physical body “dies,” the soul lives on by entering Hades where it will eventually be given a new physical body in the real world. Which form of a new body this soul takes depends on its last attempt at a pure, clean life. Since this soul has already lived a past life, its’ mind knows everything needed to survive life. It is up to the body to recollect this previous knowledge; meaning learning is truly recollection. Plato argues his point in saying, “As the soul is immortal, has been born often and has seen all things here and in the underworld, there is nothing which it has not learned; so it is in no way surprising that it can recollect the things it knew before, both about virtue and other things” (Plato 70).While Plato believes learning is truly recollection, Descartes teaches that a supremely perfect being, namely God, grants him his knowledge and perfection as he sees fit. Descartes argues, “For I am not free to think of God without existence, that is, a supremely perfect being without a supreme perfection…” (Descartes 44). In Descartes’ beliefs, he feels God is the supreme and he gives us the knowledge and perfection that he feels we need in our lives.Along with these two similarities in the true nature of human beings, Plato feels that humans need to spend their lives trying to please the gods and acting...
