The theory of reminiscence

It is often repeated in academic and non-academic settings that to know is to remember. In just three words this phrase summarizes a theory of knowledge that we can trace back more than two thousand years, and it is none other than the theory of reminiscence.

Today it is little known, but the truth is that it has had a great impact on epistemology: theory of the foundations and methods of scientific knowledge. If you are a lover of Plato’s ideas, keep reading.

What is the theory of reminiscence?

The theory of reminiscence is directly related to Plato’s idealism, and has a close connection with what is known as anamnesis (we will explain its meaning below). Although many ignore the foundations of the theory, The truth is that its germ is still alive in society. The best example is found in the current use of this word.

As the Dictionary of the American Psychological Association (APA) reminds us, the theory of reminiscence postulates that knowledge originates before birth and is recovered throughout life through the act of reminiscence or memory. Let’s take into account the etymological root of the word:

Re: ‘backward’.Mens: ‘mind’.Nt: ‘agent that performs the action’.IA: ‘quality’.

In simple terms, Reminiscence is the act of actively remembering past events and situations. It is a philosophical theory in its own right, one that, as experts warn, has had a major influence on psychology. Researchers point out that this theory proposes a distinction between knowledge and true opinion.

For Plato, Knowledge is nothing more than remembering what the soul already knew when it inhabited the world of ideas.. If this is taken into account, we can also say that the theory of reminiscence is based on the difference between the soul and the body. Knowledge is not the only thing that is inherited from this plane, but also virtue.

The philosopher maintained that Many knowledge does not seem to come from the outside, but rather from internal reflection.. Therefore, true knowledge is not assimilated through experience with reality, but is received from introspection. Allusions to this theory are discussed in the dialogues Menon, Phaedo and in the Phaedrus.

Statue of Plato in the garden of the Academy of Athens

What is anamnesis?

A concept that is related to the theory of reminiscence is that of anamnesis. In essence, the latter covers both the theory of reminiscence as the theory of memory; so that it is conceived as the basis of Platonic epistemology.

According to its postulates, knowledge can only be recovered through the use of reason, as long as it involves the contemplation of the soul. Everything else is nothing more than beliefs or opinions. Only eternal truths, those recovered from a previous life, are part of true knowledge.

In a strict sense, it also points to a theory of learning. There are many ways to recover this knowledge. Plato does not give the recipe for it, although the Socratic method plays a central role. The theory is one of Plato’s most important postulates, one that continues to generate comment today.

The concept of anamnesis is the basis of Platonic epistemology.

Plato’s Allegory of the Winged Chariot

One of the allegories often cited in connection with the theory of reminiscence is that of the winged chariot. Alludes to Plato’s view of the soul and how it is connected to knowledge and truth. The allegory is collected in Phaedrus and has been interpreted since then in many ways.

The allegory refers to a charioteer (man who governs horses), who drives a chariot pulled by two winged horses. One is white, virtuous and of noble caste, and the other is black, unworthy and immoral. The white one always flies above the clouds, while the second one flies below them, close to the ground.

The charioteer represents reason and intellect. The white horse, courage, and the black horse, appetite. They all form a unit, and are an allegory of the soul itself.. They make a mix, which is why driving is so complicated on the journey of life. It is reason that controls the horses, so the elevation or descent depends entirely on it.

As expected, there are many theories of knowledge, but these have started on the basis of that expounded by Plato. Be sure to read the aforementioned dialogues, where they are referred to, as well as study the influence that Plato had on the thinkers of posterity.

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