Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Professor, Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Persian Literature and Foreign Languages, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran
2
M.A. in Philosophy, Faculty of Persian Literature and Foreign Languages, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran
10.22108/mph.2025.144385.1624
Abstract
In various works, Aristotle critically attributes theories to Plato that have no direct reference in Plato's written dialogues. One notable claim presents Plato identifying Ideas with numbers, asserting the principles of Ideas and numbers as the same, namely, the One and the Indefinite Dyad. In the twentieth century, this issue became a controversial subject among prominent scholars in ancient Greek philosophy, spanning both analytic and continental traditions, commonly referred to as the puzzle of Plato's Unwritten Doctrines (ἄγραφα δόγματα). The term 'unwritten' suggests that Plato conveys part of his philosophy orally within the Academy, while deliberately avoiding its written documentation. In the English-speaking world, Harold Cherniss adopts an extreme stance, considering Aristotle entirely mistaken and unreliable in his exposition of Plato's thought, thereby rejecting the historical validity of the Unwritten Doctrines. Conversely, scholars like David Ross and John Findlay defend Aristotle's interpretation of Plato's philosophy and the unwritten theory. Meanwhile, in European philosophy, the Tübingen School diverges from the Schleiermacher tradition, arguing that the Unwritten Doctrines represent Plato's most authentic philosophy. Hans-Georg Gadamer, however, advocates a more balanced perspective regarding Plato's oral versus written teachings. This article evaluates and compares these contemporary interpreters' views.
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