Plato's Philosophy of Mind, Eudaimonism, and Addiction

Vocabulary flashcards covering Plato's argument for eudaimonism, the three parts of the human mind, the cardinal virtues, psychological integration, mental conflict, and neurobiological parallels to addiction.

Interminable Disagreement Argument

An argument suggesting that the good life is subjective because people disagree about what every human needs for a good life.

Eudaimonism (Socrates/Plato)

The philosophical position that to be genuinely happy, a person must be mature, virtuous, and psychologically integrated, as presented in Plato's Republic.

Reason (Platonic Faculty)

The first part of Plato's three parts of the human mind, whose dominant desire is knowledge and whose virtue is wisdom.

Spirited Part

The second part of Plato's three parts of the human mind, whose dominant desire is recognition and one's dignity, and whose virtue is courage.

Appetitive Part

The third part of Plato's three parts of the human mind, whose dominant desire is immediate pleasure (such as hunger and thirst), and whose virtue is temperance.

Justice (Fourth Cardinal Virtue)

The condition where integration and harmony exist among all three parts of the mind, allowing the three faculties to work together properly.

Psychological Integration

Plato's core concept that a person must be virtuous and mental faculties must function harmoniously to experience genuine happiness.

Mental Conflict

A condition occurring when one part of the mind interferes with the proper functioning of the other mental faculties, directly connected with a lack of virtue.

Leontius

An example used to illustrate a person experiencing mental conflict.

Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA)

One of the three brain areas involved in addiction, associated with desire and motivation.

Pleasure Center

One of the three brain areas involved in addiction, associated with pleasure and reward.

Prefrontal Cortex

One of the three brain areas involved in addiction, associated with self-control.

Addiction (Platonic Parallel)

A state in which desires become so powerful that they interfere with the proper functioning of other brain parts, creating mental conflict and lack of psychological integration.

Apparent Happiness (Plato)

Plato's view that a person can mistakenly think they are happy simply by satisfying their desires, when they are not actually happy.