From Homeric Psychē to Platonic Dualism: The Origins of the Modern Subject through Nietzsche’s Mirror

Tonguç Seferoğlu; Erman Kaçar

Makale detayları

From Homeric Psychē to Platonic Dualism: The Origins of the Modern Subject through Nietzsche’s Mirror

Yazarlar:

Tonguç Seferoğlu | Erman Kaçar

Yayıncı:

Bursa Uludağ University

Ana Başlıklar:

19. Yüzyıl Felsefesi | Eskiçağ Felsefesi

Dergi:

Kaygı. Bursa Uludağ Üniversitesi Fen-Edebiyat Fakültesi Felsefe Dergisi Vol.24 Issue 2, pp.599-629

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

9/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001359568

pISSN:

2645-8950

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 The conception of the soul in the ancient Greek world, from Homer to Plato and beyond, is a classic problem in the history of philosophy. Numerous studies have documented the radical transformation of the ancient Greek understanding of the soul, a shift that profoundly influenced nearly all philosophical systems that emerged after Plato. In this context, this paper seeks to offer a comparative analysis of the Homeric worldview and Platonic philosophy through the lens of Nietzsche. To this end, the fundamental characteristics of the soul as depicted in Homers Iliad will first be examined in light of the Dodds-Snell thesis. The works of Dodds 1951 and Snell 1953 on Homeric theories of the soul demonstrate that, in Homer, psychē is primarily associated with the notion of being alive. Unlike Platos psychology, neither psychē nor other quasi-psychological terms in Homer had been used to refer to the soul carry purely cognitive or emotional connotations. Next this paper analyzes the transformation of the conception of the soul by comparing Homers and Platos perspectives. The findings reveal that Homers worldview lacks an awareness of a unified psychic whole or a soul-self identity whereas Plato qualitatively separates the soul from the body and identifies the self with the soul. Finally, Nietzsches critique of Socratic philosophy and Platonic psychology is explored in connection with his Homeric conception of the soul and his understanding of the body during the tragic age of the Greeks. Nietzsche argues that Platos denigration of the body and elevation of the soul contributed to the decline of the culture of the tragic age and led philosophy toward nihilism and decadence.

 The conception of the soul in the ancient Greek world, from Homer to Plato and beyond, is a classic problem in the history of philosophy. Numerous studies have documented the radical transformation of the ancient Greek understanding of the soul, a shift that profoundly influenced nearly all philosophical systems that emerged after Plato. In this context, this paper seeks to offer a comparative analysis of the Homeric worldview and Platonic philosophy through the lens of Nietzsche. To this end, the fundamental characteristics of the soul as depicted in Homers Iliad will first be examined in light of the Dodds-Snell thesis. The works of Dodds 1951 and Snell 1953 on Homeric theories of the soul demonstrate that, in Homer, psychē is primarily associated with the notion of being alive. Unlike Platos psychology, neither psychē nor other quasi-psychological terms in Homer had been used to refer to the soul carry purely cognitive or emotional connotations. Next this paper analyzes the transformation of the conception of the soul by comparing Homers and Platos perspectives. The findings reveal that Homers worldview lacks an awareness of a unified psychic whole or a soul-self identity whereas Plato qualitatively separates the soul from the body and identifies the self with the soul. Finally, Nietzsches critique of Socratic philosophy and Platonic psychology is explored in connection with his Homeric conception of the soul and his understanding of the body during the tragic age of the Greeks. Nietzsche argues that Platos denigration of the body and elevation of the soul contributed to the decline of the culture of the tragic age and led philosophy toward nihilism and decadence.

 The conception of the soul in the ancient Greek world, from Homer to Plato and beyond, is a classic problem in the history of philosophy. Numerous studies have documented the radical transformation of the ancient Greek understanding of the soul, a shift that profoundly influenced nearly all philosophical systems that emerged after Plato. In this context, this paper seeks to offer a comparative analysis of the Homeric worldview and Platonic philosophy through the lens of Nietzsche. To this end, the fundamental characteristics of the soul as depicted in Homers Iliad will first be examined in light of the Dodds-Snell thesis. The works of Dodds 1951 and Snell 1953 on Homeric theories of the soul demonstrate that, in Homer, psychē is primarily associated with the notion of being alive. Unlike Platos psychology, neither psychē nor other quasi-psychological terms in Homer had been used to refer to the soul carry purely cognitive or emotional connotations. Next this paper analyzes the transformation of the conception of the soul by comparing Homers and Platos perspectives. The findings reveal that Homers worldview lacks an awareness of a unified psychic whole or a soul-self identity whereas Plato qualitatively separates the soul from the body and identifies the self with the soul. Finally, Nietzsches critique of Socratic philosophy and Platonic psychology is explored in connection with his Homeric conception of the soul and his understanding of the body during the tragic age of the Greeks. Nietzsche argues that Platos denigration of the body and elevation of the soul contributed to the decline of the culture of the tragic age and led philosophy toward nihilism and decadence.

 Antik Çağ Yunan dünyasındaki ruh anlayışının Homerostan başlayıp Platon ve sonrasına kadar uzanan süreçte geçirdiği evreler felsefe tarihinin klasik meselelerinden biridir. Pek çok çalışma Platonla birlikte Antik Çağ Yunan ruh anlayışında köklü bir dönüşüm yaşandığını ve bu dönüşümün etkilerinin Platon sonrası ortaya çıkan neredeyse bütün felsefe sistemlerini derinden etkilediğini göstermiştir. Bu bağlamda makalemizin amacı Homerik dünya görüşü ve Platoncu felsefenin karşıtlığını, Nietzschenin gözünden incelemek olacaktır. Bunu başarmak için ilk olarak Dodds-Snell tezi üzerinden Homerosun İlayda epik şiirindeki ruh anlayışı incelenecektir. Dodds 1951 ve Snell 1953 Homerosta karşımıza çıkan ruh anlayışı üzerine yaptıkları çalışmalarda, psukhēnin canlı olmak anlamına geldiğini göstermişler ve Platoncu psikolojideki anlamının aksine ruhu veya ruhun bir parçasını ne salt bilişsel ne de salt duyumsal olarak tanımlayan bir kavram bulunmadığını ortaya koymuşlardır. Daha sonra, Homerik dünyadan Platoncu düalizme geçişi anlamak için, Homeros ile Platonun ruh anlayışındaki farklılıklar temel alınarak incelenecektir. Bulgularımız Homerosta psişik bir bütünlükten ve ruh-beden ayrımından bahsedemeyeceğimizi, Platonun ise ruh-beden arasında ontolojik bir ayrım yaptığını ve ruhu kişi ile özdeşleştirdiğini göstermiştir. Tüm bunlardan hareketle, Nietzschenin Homerik ruh anlayışı ve Yunanlıların trajik çağında beden algısı üzerinden, Sokratesçi felsefe ve Platoncu psikolojiye yönelik eleştirilerinin geçerliliği sorgulanacaktır. Zira Nietzsche, Platonun bedeni hor görmek suretiyle ruhu yücelterek trajik çağın kültürünün decadencea, felsefenin ise adım adım nihilizme sürüklenmesine sebep olduğunu iddia etmektedir.

Makale detayları

From Homeric Psychē to Platonic Dualism: The Origins of the Modern Subject through Nietzsche’s Mirror

Yazarlar:

Tonguç Seferoğlu | Erman Kaçar

Yayıncı:

Bursa Uludağ University

Ana Başlıklar:

19. Yüzyıl Felsefesi | Eskiçağ Felsefesi

Dergi:

Kaygı. Bursa Uludağ Üniversitesi Fen-Edebiyat Fakültesi Felsefe Dergisi Vol.24 Issue 2, pp.599-629

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

9/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001359568

pISSN:

2645-8950

Homer

Plato

Psyche

Dualism

NietzscheHomeros

Platon

Psykhe

Düalizm

Nietzsche

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Tonguç Seferoğlu | Erman Kaçar

Yayıncı: Bursa Uludağ University

Ana Başlıklar: 19. Yüzyıl Felsefesi | Eskiçağ Felsefesi

Dergi: Kaygı. Bursa Uludağ Üniversitesi Fen-Edebiyat Fakültesi Felsefe Dergisi Vol.24 Issue 2, pp.599-629

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 9/2025

Belge Dili: Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.): 2001359568

pISSN: 2645-8950

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Tonguç Seferoğlu | Erman Kaçar

Yayıncı:

Bursa Uludağ University

Ana Başlıklar:

19. Yüzyıl Felsefesi | Eskiçağ Felsefesi

Dergi:

Kaygı. Bursa Uludağ Üniversitesi Fen-Edebiyat Fakültesi Felsefe Dergisi Vol.24 Issue 2, pp.599-629

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

9/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001359568

pISSN:

2645-8950