Book 3, Essays - Series 2: Chapter 13, Plato & Swedenborg Summary and Analysis

The incredible impact of Plato shows in their being two essays in this section devoted to his philosophy. The author does not engage in the battles that include Christianity - Jesus Christ's teachings actually agree more with Aristotle's thought in many ways - especially when it comes to the living soul, but may be reminiscent of Plato's in that consciousness - ideas and forms which are abstract principles are legitimately said to be real, although they do not exist in the same manner as do rocks. He claims that through Plato it becomes known that virtue can know both virtue and vice but vice is inherently a lack of self-awareness. During this essay, Emerson periodically reminds readers of the importance of science and the benefits of improved technologies.

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