Plato Theory of Forms Essay - 1115 Words

Platos Theory of Forms is not something that is easy to understand. According to him the forms are a class concept that is a perfect example of the form itself. To anyone scanning through the forms they might not grasp the full concept Plato is trying to get across. However, if time is taken to examine Platos theory it can make sense. For Plato everything has a pure form. If you take any property of an object and separate it from the object itself, you are left contemplating a form. Plato splits up being into two worlds, the material world and the transcendent world of forms. We know of the world of forms through the mind, through reason; this gives us access to an unchanging world, secure from the changes of the material world. By†¦show more content†¦The forms exist in a different way. This why Plato says the forms are unchanging. A form such as roundness will never change; it does not even exist in time. It is the same at all times or places in which it might be. A form does not exist in space in that it can be in many places at once and need not be anywhere specific in order for the form to exist. The form of roundness can be found in many locations, and even if all round objects were destroyed, the property of roundness would still exist. The forms are also pure. This means that they are pure properties separated from all other properties. A material object, such as a basketball, has many properties: roundness, bounce, orange color, elasticity, etc. These are all put together to make up an individual basketball. A form is just one of these properties, existing by itself apart from space and time. Roundness is just pure roundness, without any other properties mixed in. The forms differ from material objects, then, in that they are transcendent and pure, while material objects are collection of properties located in space and time. To understand the theory of forms you also have to understand some other characteristics that make forms different form material objects. The forms are perfect examples of the property that they represent. The forms are the perfect models which all material objects are based. The form ofShow MoreRelatedPlato s Theory Of The Forms1704 Words   |  7 Pages Plato’s Theory of the Forms Travis Meyer PHI 1090 Introduction to Philosophy 12/16/2015 Plato was a Greek philosopher, mathematician, and theologian who lived from 424 BC to 348 BC in Athens, Greece. Plato was born into a high class family in Greece and therefore was very active in the Athenian community since he was from a high status family. He was the founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. He is known to be one of the bestRead MorePlato s Theory Of Forms Essay1427 Words   |  6 Pages Plato was a standout amongst the most innovative and persuasive masterminds in Western philosophy, his impact all through the historical backdrop of philosophy has been monumental. Born around 428 B.C, he researched an extensive variety of topics; however, his Theory of Forms, found in The Republic, is an essential piece of Plato s philosophy. This is the center thought behind Plato s theory of forms, from this thought he moves towards clarifying his universe of forms or ideas. While tryingRead MorePlato s Theory Of Forms1629 Words   |  7 Pagesfew philosophical theories are as essential as the theory of Forms. This is besides the fact that it is generally overlooked in many of Plato’s writings even though it lays the foundations to many other theories of his. 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He intertwines the theory of the FormsRead MorePlato s Theory Of Form1111 Words   |  5 PagesPlato coined the term â€Å"Socratic questioning† to encourage the open discussion of philosophical theory for the purpose of improving said theory. Aristotle took advantage of the practice of Socratic questioning to inquire about Plato’s theory of Form and its explanation of causality in comparison to Aristotle’s own theories of causality and being. Aristotle criticizes Plato’s theory of Form because it only accounted for a one-dimensional explana tion of what things are made up of and what identifiesRead MorePlato : Art, Poetry And The Theory Of Forms912 Words   |  4 PagesPlato: Art, Poetry and the Theory of Forms In The Republic, Plato argues that poetry and certain art forms including painting and drama, are mimetic and merely representations of various truths, which exist only in an abstract state he describes as â€Å"Forms† . In order to understand his repudiation of art and poetry, it s important to grasp the fundamental idea of Forms, and how they relate to truth in his view. According to Plato ( through Socratic dialogue), Forms are abstract ideas that representRead MoreQuestions On Plato s Theory Of The Forms1875 Words   |  8 Pagesevaluate Plato s response to the problem of the One and the Many. To do this, I will outline briefly the emergence of this problem in Greek thought in order to further understand and contextualise Plato s theory of the Forms. I shall then offer criticisms of his theory, both positive and negative, with particular regard for the ontological, epistemological, and cosmological consequences of subscribing to the Forms. I shall then conclude whether or not the metaphysical system constructed by Plato is aRead MoreThe Form Of Truth : Plato s Theory Of Knowledge893 Words   |  4 PagesProfessor Jones-Cathcart Philosophy 101 16 February 2016 The Form of Truth The physical world only has one constant - change. The human senses give an idea of the present reality. However, seeing is not believing. The perception we develop through the senses (seeing, smelling, tasting, touching, and hearing) does not consist of real truth. Real truth is not what is in front of us, but of absolute concepts and unchanging truths. Plato encouraged looking past what is directly visible in order toRead MoreOverview Of Plato And Platos Theory Of The Four Forms1896 Words   |  8 Pagespotential answers, two well-known ones are Platos Theory of Forms and Aristotles Theory of the Four Causes.   Despite their common focus on knowledge, the two philosophers differ in their beliefs in how knowledge is obtained. Plato places a bigger emphasis on the soul being the source of true knowledge, while Aristotle argues that true knowledge comes from logic and reason. Of the two, Aristotle presents the better argument.   In many of his texts, Plato argues that the soul is the key to true knowledgeRead MoreThe Theory Of The Forms Figures Into Plato s / Socrates Reflections1471 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Forms are necessary or essential properties of a particular or thing. According to Socrates, these forms have properties which give them a certain causal power. Using the concept of Forms, he systematically constructs an argument in an attempt to prove that the soul exists and must always exist. Although, his complete conception of Forms is not captured in the Phaedo, We can still use this dialectic to address his arguments. In this paper, I will attempt to describe the Forms. To do this