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The Theory of Forms is not simply an argument presented in
one of his works which was sealed there, but is scattered in several
dialogues; it was initiated in The Republic, Book X, the distinct
features of the Forms talked about in the Phaedo, having gone back to The Republic in Books VI to VII
for the allegory of the cave and the metaphor of the sun, with mentions
and discussions in Meno, Cratylus, Symposium, Phaedrus, Parmenidus,
Theaetetus, Sophist, Philebus, Timaeus and Seventh Letter. Plato has
spoken on the Theory of Forms over a span of forty years, in which the
theory has refined and attained a full-fledged illustration-no wonder
Plato's works have added generously to Western philosophy.
Interestingly, even though the theory is about 'forms', Plato had not used this word in his dialogues, and instead referred to 'ideas' and 'eidos' to unravel his theory. This is not to suggest that forms are formed by the subjective reflections of any person, which is the meaning derived by the word 'idea' in English, but in fact are seen as the ultimate, intellectual truth.
Forms are, in the simplest sense possible, abstract metaphysical entities which are found in a different world from the physical world. They persist in the mind of Creator, or God, and they are seen to have several unique properties which are extensively mentioned in the Phaedo. To start off, forms are unchanging and eternal. They are fundamentally transcendent, as they do not exist in time or space. Their transcendence crucially explains why forms are unchangeable because forms do not relate to time and are eternal; they are also found in several places simultaneously and its existence in one particular place is not needed to allow its existence in another-thus temporally and spatially independent. For instance, as Plato speaks in his dialogue, the idea of beauty remains consistent and eternal. Instead, it may be perceived and seen as horses, garments or men in varying degrees of beauty, which are but copies of the forms.
Forms are also, indeed, the causes of the existence of what we can see. Since they are the pure-most idea that exists in a nonmaterial realm, unseen by the human eye, it comes to mind: how does one explain the material world which is the one we live in? Plato suggests that forms are the cause behind everything that exists in the material world and provides a reason behind why a particular object is the way it appears to be. It is logical to assume that all which exists in the world is, in fact, a mere copy of the true form, which is imperfect and keeps us from contemplating on the intellectual truth, which is superior to the physical truth which is distorted and changing. Plato's Phaedo provides a useful summary for this concept, listing the attributes of Forms (or souls, in context) as "divine, and immortal, and intelligible, and uniform, and indissoluble, and unchangeable."
Needless to say, Plato was not entirely firm about his Theory, having criticized its limitations in Parmenides, and even his student Aristotle did not agree with his philosophical thought on the matter. But this Theory has been in the footnotes of many a philosophical debates, having much room for discussion and speculation and being a precursor and comparative to Plato's ideas for government and politics.
Interestingly, even though the theory is about 'forms', Plato had not used this word in his dialogues, and instead referred to 'ideas' and 'eidos' to unravel his theory. This is not to suggest that forms are formed by the subjective reflections of any person, which is the meaning derived by the word 'idea' in English, but in fact are seen as the ultimate, intellectual truth.
Forms are, in the simplest sense possible, abstract metaphysical entities which are found in a different world from the physical world. They persist in the mind of Creator, or God, and they are seen to have several unique properties which are extensively mentioned in the Phaedo. To start off, forms are unchanging and eternal. They are fundamentally transcendent, as they do not exist in time or space. Their transcendence crucially explains why forms are unchangeable because forms do not relate to time and are eternal; they are also found in several places simultaneously and its existence in one particular place is not needed to allow its existence in another-thus temporally and spatially independent. For instance, as Plato speaks in his dialogue, the idea of beauty remains consistent and eternal. Instead, it may be perceived and seen as horses, garments or men in varying degrees of beauty, which are but copies of the forms.
Forms are also, indeed, the causes of the existence of what we can see. Since they are the pure-most idea that exists in a nonmaterial realm, unseen by the human eye, it comes to mind: how does one explain the material world which is the one we live in? Plato suggests that forms are the cause behind everything that exists in the material world and provides a reason behind why a particular object is the way it appears to be. It is logical to assume that all which exists in the world is, in fact, a mere copy of the true form, which is imperfect and keeps us from contemplating on the intellectual truth, which is superior to the physical truth which is distorted and changing. Plato's Phaedo provides a useful summary for this concept, listing the attributes of Forms (or souls, in context) as "divine, and immortal, and intelligible, and uniform, and indissoluble, and unchangeable."
Needless to say, Plato was not entirely firm about his Theory, having criticized its limitations in Parmenides, and even his student Aristotle did not agree with his philosophical thought on the matter. But this Theory has been in the footnotes of many a philosophical debates, having much room for discussion and speculation and being a precursor and comparative to Plato's ideas for government and politics.
Irteza Rehman is an online writer for many websites and he enjoys writing philosophy.
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