2. Plato (427BC - 347BC)

1. Plato was pupil of Socrates. He was also of the view that knowledge is innate and inside the mind. In order to extract knowledge, one needs to look into the mind rather than looking at external objects. This method was later called the introspective method, in which outwardly observation is discouraged and looking into the mind or soul is encouraged.
2. He described the part of personality as:
   • Intellect (ability to understand)
   • Will (drive to do something)
   • Appetite (part of the personality that deals with bodily needs).
3. According to Plato, ideas are eternal, they are not born, and neither do they die while worldly objects change and die. Therefore knowledge can be gained from ideas rather than observation.
4. Plato suggested that the soul has three parts:
   • Reason, located in the head
   • Passion, located in the chest
   • Appetite, located in the stomach.
5. The function of the reason is to control and direct the passion and appetite. Passion is the desire to perform a certain action. Appetite part of the soul refers to the natural needs of the body, such as hunger, thirst etc. According to Plato, some passions and appetites are satisfied in dreams.