THE "TRIPARTITE PSYCHE" OF GREEK PHILOSOPHY

THE "TRIPARTITE PSYCHE" OF GREEK PHILOSOPHY

	BIOS	THUMOS	LOGOS
Driving Force	Life Instinct	Courage of Conviction	Rationality
Seat in the Body	Belly and Groin	Heart/Chest	Mind/Head
Supreme Virtue	Moderation	Courage	Wisdom
Proper Social/Political Responsibility	Obedience	Leadership and Enforcement	Education and Advisement
Ideal Social Role	Consumer	Soldier	Philosopher
Political Element	Democracy	Aristocracy	Philosopher King
Love	Eros	Philos	Agapé
Art	Satyric	Representational	Formal
Understanding	Concrete/Material	Moral	Ideal/Abstract
Proportion of Society	Most	Few	VERY few!

Religious Analogy	Obedience	Faith	Reason
Medieval Christian Analogy	"Those who work"	"Those who fight"	"Those who pray"

Every psyche contains all three elements.

One element dominates in every person.

The ideal human being has all elements in proper balance, with logos controlling the balance.

Eudaimonia (Fulfillment, self-actualization, "happiness") is the outcome of living a properly balanced life, and the goal toward which every person should strive.

Every society contains people dominated by each element.

The major basis of social division/class is which element dominates.

The ideal social/political system has each class in proper balance, playing its proper role, with the people dominated by logos controlling the balance.

Diké (Justice) is the outcome of a properly balanced society, and the goal toward which every society should strive.