4.

          The framework of the comparison between Tolstoy and Plato in the next chapters

          The title of Tolstoy's book "What is art?" articulates the topic of his research. The question entails a definition and theory of what art factually is, and ideally ought to and can be. Tolstoy aligns art, science and religious perception in a structural coherence with human progress. He makes clear in what manner art and science share a common communicative function, but use different tools to achieve this. On the other hand the theory defines human progress as a rational and emotional development by means of science and art, guided by religious perception. Its structure can be clarified with the next illustration.
 
 

          It is the intention of chapter 1 to clarify Tolstoy's vision point by point using this illustrative scheme, setting forth Tolstoy's points of contact with Plato. Tolstoy very definitely recognizes the structural coherence between art, science and religious perception in relation with the human psychological constitution. His theory has a deep religious, psychological and social dimension, which agrees very significantly with Plato's philosophy.
          The same structure of the illustrative scheme will be used to analyse Plato in chapter II. With the help of certain passages of the Phaedrus dialogue the psychological constitution of the human soul will be demonstrated. The famous myth of the charioteer and his two winged horses that pull his cart expresses the differentiated nature of the human soul. In this manner the role of Eros as an inciting creative force for good and proper arts and science ("good or bad writing") can be exemplified (Phaedrus 258d). One can recognize Tolstoy's conception about the didactic capacities of art and science especially in Plato's Politeia. Plato describes in this dialogue a 'music education' that is attuned to the differentiated nature of the human psyche. Art is to used to harmonize and neutralize the sentimental and physical part of the soul (Politeia II, III). Science is fit to develop the rational parts of the soul (Politeia VII). It will be our intention to organize by means of Tolstoy's classification of science and arts some of Plato's dialogues (Gorgias, Io, Phaedrus, Politeia, Sophist, Symposium, the Laws and the Epinomes) to reasonably prove the assumed coherence.
 
 

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