本計晝試圖從柏拉圖靈魂三分說裡「慾望」對整個靈魂認知活動的影響，回應他 知識理論中對「知覺」的定位，以重新爱清柏拉圖美學中「知覺」與「慾望」這兩個 和身體緊密相關的概念。研究範圍以《理想國》、《法律》、《泰鄂提得斯》、《菲得若絲》 涉及靈魂三分說、文藝教育、以及「知覺」認知意涵的相關段落，做為核心文本，試 圖處理以下議題：一、《理想國》中如何區分靈魂不同成分，有著這些成分的靈魂又如 何能是一個完整整體？ 二、《法律》中如何理解靈魂内的不同成分？三、從靈魂三分說 的脈絡看《理想國》與《法律》中的文藝教育。四、由《泰鄂提得斯》對「知覺」是 否是知識的討論，以及《理想國》對「信念」與「知識」的區分，返回審視「慾望」 以「知覺」所構成的認知。五、「知覺」與「慾望」在人朝向「美」的認知活動中，扮 演什麼角色？藉由探索有關靈魂三分說細腻而豐富的爭議，深化對「文藝教育」議題 的討論，並從認知活動的分析，釐清「知覺」和「慾望」在整個靈魂朝向「美本身」、 理型、真正知識的過程可能有的正面與負面意涵，從而結合柏拉圖美學中對「愛」與 「美」的討論及其文藝理論。
The project is to explore Plato’s concepts of perception () and appetitive desire (). Both the concepts are deeply involved with ‘body’ which is considered with little importance in the traditional or stereotyped ‘Plato’. However, this research will turn attention to the rich discussions on appetitive desire and perception in Plato, especially in the passages on the tripartite soul, education in the arts and the cognitive significance of perception, in the Republic, Laws, Theaetetus, and Phaedrus, and thus revisit Plato’s aesthetics in the light of these two body-involved concepts. The research will mainly tackle the following topics: 1. How does Plato conceive the partition of the soul in the Republic? 2. How does Plato conceive the partition of the soul in the Laws? 3. Review Plato’s education in the arts in the Republic and Laws within the context of his tripartite soul. 4. Review Plato’s ‘perception’ as the cognitive resource for ‘appetitive desire’, in the light of the epistemological discussion on perception in the Theaetetus and the distinction between belief () and knowledge () in the Republic. 5. Review the significance of perception and appetitive desire in the cognitive process which is driven by Eros toward the Beauty. In this way, the research will deal with the issues on the education in the arts from a psychological standpoint, investigate the cognitive aspect of perception and appetitive desire, and thus establish a more coherent understanding of Plato’s theory of art and his emphasis on Eros.
