# Plato — Human Nature and Conduct character guide

> Plato in Human Nature and Conduct by John Dewey.

**Role:** minor

**First appearance:** 0002-human-nature-and-conduct

## Who they are

Ancient Greek philosopher cited for his views on human nature and conduct.

## Relationships

### [Aristotle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/human_nature_and_conduct_se/characters/aristotle)

_professional_

Aristotle and Plato are connected as teacher and student with differing philosophical views, often contrasted in discussions of ethics and human nature.

## In the story

### [Part I: The Place of Habit in Conduct](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/human_nature_and_conduct_se/chapters/part-i-the-place-of-habit-in-conduct)

Dewey references Plato's idea of the tripartite soul as an example of a dualistic view that separates reason from appetite and habit.

### [III: Character and Conduct](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/human_nature_and_conduct_se/chapters/iii-character-and-conduct)

Mentioned for his view of ideal objects as patterns for reorganizing the actual scene, though criticized for converting a function of reorganization into a metaphysical reality.

### [Custom and Morality](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/human_nature_and_conduct_se/chapters/v-custom-and-morality)

Dewey discusses Plato's ethical writings, noting that Plato's solution to the dilemma of personal thought versus objective standards was to posit reason as universal and cosmic, substituting a metaphysical ethics for the ethics of custom.

### [V: Classification of Instincts](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/human_nature_and_conduct_se/chapters/v-classification-of-instincts)

Dewey references Plato's threefold division of the soul as an example of historical instinct classification that reflects social conditions.

### [No Separate Instincts](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/human_nature_and_conduct_se/chapters/vi-no-separate-instincts)

Referenced in the context of treating 'woman' as a Platonic universal entity, critiquing the abstraction of fixed natures.

### [Part III: The Place of Intelligence in Conduct](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/human_nature_and_conduct_se/chapters/part-iii-the-place-of-intelligence-in-conduct)

Dewey discusses Plato's idea of reason as a separate faculty, which he rejects in favor of a more integrated view of intelligence.

### [Desire and Intelligence](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/human_nature_and_conduct_se/chapters/viii-desire-and-intelligence)

Referenced implicitly in the discussion of ideals as transcendent and remote, contrasting with Dewey's pragmatic view.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/human_nature_and_conduct_se/characters/plato
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/human_nature_and_conduct_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/human_nature_and_conduct_se/characters