platonia

[Named after Plato, the Greek philosopher.] Bot.: A genus of Garciniece. The large berries of Platonia in sign is , a Brazilian tree, are very sweet, and the seeds taste like almonds. Pla-ton-ic, *Pla-ton-ick, a . & s . [Lat. Platon icus ; Gr. Platōnikos =pertaining to Plato, the cele brated philosopher and founder of the Academic sect, born in Egina, B. C. 429, died B. C. 348; Fr. Plat on i que ; Ital. & Sp. Platonico .] A. As adj .: Pertaining to Plato, or to his philosophy, his school, or his teaching. IMG:content-1198.png:[blocks in formation] IMG:content-1199.png:[blocks in formation] Platonic-year, Plato's year, s . Astron.: The time during which the axis of the earth makes a complete revolution. It is about 26,000 years, and is caused by the Prece ion of the Equinoxes (q. v.). "Cut out more work than can be done In Plato's year." Butler: Hudibras , iii. 1. pla-ton-1-cal, adj . [Eng. Platonic ; -al.] The same as PLATONIC (q. v.). "Those dotages of platonic all or anabaptistic all com. munities."- Bp . Hall : Christ Mystical , § 22. pla-ton-i-cal-ly, adv . [Eng. plat on i cal ; -ly .] In a Platonic manner. "Molded him, as it were, platonically to his ownidea." -Wotton: Remains , p. 163. Plā-ton-işm, s. [Fr. plat on is me .] Hist. & Philos .: The philosophy of Plato, or rather that attributed to Plato, for though his writings exerted a marvelous influence over the minds of his succe ors, and, in a certain degree, over the early Christian Church, yet in those writings there is nothing like a connected system to be found. G. H. Lewes ( Hist . of Philos . (ed. 1880), i. 220) says: "I come to the conclusion that he never systematized his thoughts, but allowed free play to scepticism, taking opposite sides in every debate, because he had no steady conviction to guide him; unsaying to-day what he had said yes terday, satisfied to show the weakne of an oppo Neverthele , he is of opinion that certain theoretical views, which frequently recur in the writings of Plato, in more or le modified form, may be loosely styled Platonic theories, though "they are sometimes disregarded, at others contra dicted." These are are (1) The theory of Ideas [IDEA]; (2) The doctrine of the Preexistence and Immortality of the Soul; and (3) The subjection of the popular divinities to one Supreme God. "The profound restorer and refiner of almost extinct Platonism."- Glanvill : Lux Oriental is. (Pref.) plā-ton-Ist, s. [Fr. Plat on i ste.) A follower of Plato; one who adheres to the system of philosophy taught by Plato.