عرفان آرامش دل

In various treatises, particularly in the Metaphysics, Aristotle testifies that Plato identified the principles of the Ideas with the principles of numbers; in other words, the structure of Ideas was entirely described in numerical terms. This theory is known as the "theory of ideal numbers." According to Aristotle's account, in addition to the ideal numbers in Plato's system, there exists a lower order of numbers compared to the ideal numbers, which he considered as arithmetic and mathematical numbers and objects. Furthermore, even the sensibles were, in another way, recognized as numbers. The challenge in understanding this matter is not only the complex and intricate statements and criticisms of Aristotle but also the significant obstacle that no such concept is explicitly mentioned in any of Plato's dialogues.In this study, we first examine the Pythagorean roots of Plato's thought; the importance of this chapter lies in Aristotle's insistence that Plato was influenced by the Pythagoreans in formulating the theory of ideal numbers and the overall mathematical perspective on the world. By assembling various historical evidence, we have reached the significant division among the early Pythagoreans, who split into two streams: the mathematicians and the akousmatics. We have tried to examine Plato's relationship with the Pythagoreans considering this division and reflect on Aristotle's account of Plato's Pythagoreanism. In the following chapter, we addressed the question: if Plato did not record theories such as ideal numbers in his dialogues, from which source did Aristotle derive and extensively critique them? As is well-known in contemporary Platonic studies, Plato had so-called unwritten doctrines, which he preferred to teach orally within the Academy. By referring to the works of contemporary interpreters, such as the members of the Tübingen School, Harold Cherniss, David Ross, John Findlay, Hans Gadamer, Werner Jaeger, and others, we first attempted to establish the historical validity of the existence of unwritten doctrines and then provide more historical and philosophical details about them. After laying sufficient groundwork in the first two chapters to address the theory of ideal numbers, we devoted the final chapter directly to this topic. After reconstructing Aristotle's account of the ontology of Platonic numbers by identifying the most important aspects and themes of his report, we sought to assess his critical account by comparing it with Plato's possible doctrines regarding numbers and Ideas.