Plato's Concept of Forms

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the true reality or the Forms are the ideals of unity and perfection, which surpass man's meager attempts at description and understanding. The author points out that Plato's theory divides reality into truth and illusion. The paper concludes that the theory of ideals is dangerous because it is open to abuse by those who suggest their own subject views of the ideal forms; however, this theory also can be viewed in terms of seeking higher and more positive ideals in life thus becoming acceptable as a theory of human knowledge and motivation.

From the Paper:

"The central belief that Plato had was that there exist ideal Forms of reality and that these are contrasted to and superior to the world of ordinary reality. He referred to the everyday world as the world of particulars. One of the most accessible and enlightening ways in which Plato described this difference between the ideal and the real was through his allegory or metaphor of the cave, through which he explains this theory of knowledge and reality."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Mansfield, Harvey. "Education: Where We Stand - the Conservative End of Education." National Review, 3 July 2000.
• Plato. Republic. Translated by Waterfield, Robin. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994.
• Wright, J. The Phaedrus, Lysis, and Protagoras of Plato: a New and Literal Translation Mainly from the Text of Bekker. London: Macmillan and Co., Limited, 1921.

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