THE HUMAN AND THE POSSIBILITY TO LIVE ACCORDING TO ΛΟΓΟΣ

Abstract

This paper examines the relation between the human beings and what is the most specific to it: the λόγος. Although difficult to be translated, the λόγος has many meanings, such as discourse, language, word, speech, rationality, intelligence, calculation, reasoning, argument, proposition, sentence, definition etc. Nonetheless, the original meaning of the verb λέγειν is: to put together, to pick, and distinguish. These primitive and performative meanings, which progressively advanced and entered the domains of thinking and saying, transformed themselves in the movement of thought and language. Thus, we will try to show, based on some images from the Platonic dialogues, that this capacity brings the human beings to understand both the things and themselves. Nevertheless, as the human beings are endowed with other natural principles responsible for their action, the possibility of activity according to the λόγος will always remain a possibility between others. Therefore, to live according to the λόγος requires a practical decision, which will be under a constant menace; consequently, it must become a perseverant attitude.