Inspiration and Technē : Divination in Plato’s Ion

Authors

  • Aaron Landry Humber College

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14195/2183-4105_14_6

Keywords:

Ancient Philosophy, Plato, Ion

Abstract

In Plato’s Ion, inspiration functions in contradistinction to technē. Yet, paradoxically, in both cases, there is an appeal to divination. I interrogate this in order to show how these two disparate accounts can be accommodated. Specifically, I argue that Socrates’ appeal to Theoclymenus at Ion 539a-b demonstrates that Plato recognizes the existence of intuitive seers who defy his own distinction between possession and technical divination. Such seers provide an epistemic model for Ion; that he does not notice this confirms he is not an exemplary rhapsode.

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Published

2015-07-22

How to Cite

Landry, A. (2015). Inspiration and Technē : Divination in Plato’s Ion. PLATO JOURNAL, 14, 85-97. https://doi.org/10.14195/2183-4105_14_6