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Ideas from 'Letter Seven' by Plato [352 BCE], by Theme Structure

[found in 'Complete Works' by Plato (ed/tr Cooper,John M.) [Hackett 1997,0-87220-349-2]].

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22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 1. Nature of Ethics / a. Preconditions for ethics
168 To understand morality requires a soul
                        Full Idea: Good and evil are meaningless to things that have no soul.
                        From: Plato (Letter Seven [c.352 BCE], 334)
                        A reaction: That is presumably psuché, and hence includes plants. Soulless things can still function well, but obviously that is not 'meaningful' to them.