"Plato is my friend, but truth is more precious": the origin and meaning of expression

How often, falling under the influence of someone's views and opinions, we bow to other people's authorities. Sometimes it happens in spite of common sense. For example, parents always think: they know what is best for their child. With whom to him to be friends, what hobby to choose, in which profession to realize oneself. And even the personal life of their children should be built on the orders of adults. And are those who gave us life always right? And can we consider the old age and other people's experience as the ultimate truth?

Popular expression

For such cases the expression most long ago become winged is most suitable. It sounds like this: "Plato is my friend, but the truth is more precious." Like most aphorisms, it also has a source. In the late XVI - early XVII century, lived, was such a famous writer - Miguel Servantes de Saavedra. Everyone knows his funny and ideal hero - Don Quixote of La Mancha. In the second part of the novel, in Chapter 51, we come across a familiar: "Plato is my friend, but the truth is more precious." So, then, where did this phrase come from in our language! "Amikus Plato, Sed Maqis Amika Waritas" - this is the Russian transcription of the aphorism in Latin. Why did we remember it? Simply Cervantes acquainted with the phrase broad readership. But he only repeated in Spanish what the ancients had said long before him.

Excursion into the history ...

And now, in our minds, we will be transported to the time machine even later. IV century BC, Ancient Greece, the great Plato, his philosophical school and works, which to this day have not lost relevance and interest. In one of them - the work "The Phaedo" - Plato quotes Socrates, to whom he was a student, where his brilliant predecessor advises to look less at himself, defending his point of view. Truth is more expensive than authority, Socrates asserted. And the author of "Fedon" completely agrees with this. Hence, "Plato is my friend, but the truth is more precious." Let us note that the philosopher gives the pupils an accurate statement: one should go to the end, if he is sure of his own rightness, and not think about whether this coincides with the opinion of their teacher.

From Plato to Aristotle

Ancient Greek philosophical thought gave the world many geniuses. One can not help but think of another remarkable representative of her - Aristotle. This is also the IV century BC, only a somewhat later period. His pen belongs to the deep and serious work of "Nikomakh's ethics". In it Aristotle, continuing the thoughts of his teachers (Socrates and all the same Plato), wrote that, no matter how dear to him his friends, if you choose between them and the truth, preference should be given all the same to the truth. That's such a long story for this statement! But it is not final, because many ancient writers believed that the source of the whole "cheese-boron" - Socrates, it was his name mentioned in the aphorism. But, as we have established, it would be more correct to say this: "Plato is my friend, but the truth is more precious!"

Further epochs

So, before us is a classic example of a logical and cultural paradox. The author has published an axiom that contradicts himself. On its basis, subsequently, many similar statements of "general content" were compiled. For example, Martin Luther, justifying his religious and philosophical postulates, says almost the same universal formula, very close to the traditional one: "Plato is my friend, but the truth is more expensive," only mentioning Socrates and using the strong-willed imperative "should be preferred." Its significance, of course, is clear: in any dispute, as an arbiter, correctness, conformity to common sense, objectivity should act. Or the truth. It is she who must act as an absolute value and have privileges over all subjective opinions.

Let us dwell on examples

In what cases is such an expression appropriate? Practically in all, when it comes to serious policy decisions, on which, for example, the fate of an important scientific discovery, the resolution of a legal question, etc., or even personal relationships may depend. Dudintsev's novel "White Clothes" discusses issues related to a new branch of biology - genetics. You ask, what does all this have to do with the same aphorism: "Plato is my friend, but the truth is more valuable"? The meaning of it is directly related to the conflict revealed in the work: some scientists go on about the official authorities, agree in everything with the "people's academician" Random (prototype Lysenko). For the sake of personal gain and power, he "wipes" not only his talented colleagues, but also frankly falsifies and pours lies on progressive scientific ideas.

Others are not afraid to fight openly with these retrogrades and opportunists, but they defend the truth in spite of the danger that threatens them. This is Dyozhkin, Tsvyah, Strigalev, Heifets. The latter, for example, is so shocked by the atmosphere of hidden meanness and denunciations in the team that, although there are many friends among the scientists working there, he is ready to leave the walls of the institute, which he worked for many years. "Plato is my friend, but the truth is more precious" - he proves the significance of this statement by his own actions. And not only he! Dyozhkin once read Ryadno real professional, a man of great intelligence and talent, a biologist with a capital letter. Learning that the academician has lowered himself to the appropriation of other people's discoveries and expose his authors to persecution and repression, he also resents and stands up for the defense of the truth.

"Plato is my friend, but the truth is more precious" - what does this statement mean for him? Much: Dyozhkin brings to the end the case of the smashed underground laboratory. Risking his life, passing the most valuable information to his Western colleagues, who specially came to the Union for this. And then, for many years, until Stalin's death and the rehabilitation of his colleagues, among whom there are those who died in jail or camps, he lives practically underground. Here on what deprivations and sacrifices are ready to go principled people for the sake of truth!

Worthy examples give us literature!