Measuring Internal Conflict with Real and Ideal Conflict in Plato's Anthropology

This article examines one of the fundamental concepts in Plato’s philosophy, namely the “inner contradiction” of the human soul, with a descriptive-analytical approach.

The main issue of the research is to explain the relationship of this inherent and permanent conflict between internal forces in the areas of knowledge and ethics, as well as its innovative formulation in the dual form of ideal conflict and real conflict. The central and fundamental question of the article is focused on the point that under what conditions does internal conflict transform into each of these two types of conflict and what is the consequence of each.



The article begins by referring to the ontological roots of the concept of conflict in pre-Socratic philosophy, especially in the thought of Heraclitus, who considered war to be the “father of all things.” Influenced by this view, Plato accepts conflict not as an evil, but as a positive and necessary element for explaining the structure of existence, knowledge, and man. From Plato’s anthropological perspective, the human soul inherently has opposing powers (reason, will/anger, and desire/lust) that are constantly in conflict to gain dominance over other human soul powers. This internal conflict is an inherent and permanent truth in which human life flows, and as these powers prevail over each other, the soul’s goal also changes. The main innovation of the article is to provide an analytical framework for understanding this internal soul conflict. Accordingly, the type of conflict depends not on the conflict itself, but on its “goal” and “end.” If in this conflict and conflict, the lower powers of the soul (desire or will) win by imposing themselves on other powers, they push the soul towards tangible, ephemeral, and material matters. In this case, the main goal is to eliminate the rival and “survival” of that dominant power, which the article calls “real conflict.” This situation is comparable to the "survival conflict" in Darwin's theory, in which the principle is the survival of the stronger and the elimination of the weaker. The consequence of this real conflict in the field of morality is the captivity of the soul in desires and ambitions, and in the field of knowledge, the imprisonment of man in the world of unstable illusions and sensory perceptions.

In contrast, if in the internal conflict, "reason" takes the reins of affairs based on wisdom and through "persuasion" and not coercion, it guides the other powers towards the "ideal world" and the transcendent truth. This process is called "ideal conflict". The distinctive feature of this type of conflict is not the elimination of other powers, but their "guidance" and "harmonization" under the leadership of reason. In this model, each power is placed in its natural place and acts on its original duty. The result of this harmony is internal "virtue" and "justice" that determine human happiness. The ultimate goal here is the "transcendental survival" of the soul; that is, liberation from the confines of the material world and connection to the world of fixed and eternal ideas. This survival does not mean remaining in the status quo, but rather transcendence and reaching a higher existence. The article examines this dual analysis in detail in two main areas:

In the epistemological area: the conflict between "reason" (which seeks to recognize ideas) and "belief" and "idea" (which are dependent on the world of the senses) is analyzed. If idea dominates, the resulting knowledge will be variable and dependent on circumstances (real contradiction). However, if reason, by gradually training the lower cognitive faculties, uses them as bridges to reach the truth, a universal and fixed knowledge is achieved (ideal contradiction). The allegory of the cave well illustrates this process and its difficulties.

In the ethical area: the conflict between the three faculties of "reason", "will" and "desire" is analyzed. If desire or will (which Plato likens to a multi-headed monster and a lion) prevail, the soul suffers from injustice and internal chaos and takes refuge in fleeting pleasures (real contradiction). But if reason, as the charioteer, determines a reasonable share of pleasure for each faculty with paternal persuasion, harmony and self-control prevail, which is the main virtue (ideal contradiction).

Consequently, the article shows that human happiness depends on the management of this inherent conflict by reason and its transformation from a destructive "real contradiction" into a constructive "ideal contradiction". In this transformation, the soul, instead of being caught in a struggle for material survival, is placed on the path of transcendent survival and connection to eternal truth. Therefore, internal contradiction in Plato's thought, although inevitable, can be both a cause of human downfall and a means of human transcendence.