Plato's Theory Of The Forms Essay

A Look at Plato’s Forms

In the following essay I will be explaining Plato’s belief in the Forms and will be critiquing it. The structure of my essay will begin with an explanation of Plato and some background information on him. The third paragraph will contain a brief view into Plato’s view of reality as it pertains to the planes of existence. The fourth paragraph will explore the parallel between mainstream Christian and Plato’s Theory of the Forms. The fifth paragraph reaffirm the information given on Plato’s views into reality and truth, as it pertains to the Theory of the Forms. The sixth paragraph is my critic of the Theory of the Forms, as it pertains to faith and truth. The seventh paragraph is my critics over Plato contradiction over

For if we are to believe what his character Socrates says then humans are incapable of grasping true knowledge for that can only be found within the Forms which lie in the intangible realm (Annas 2001). This seems to be a massive contradiction in thought in my opinion as though Plato mentions that the act of philosophy is the remembrance of lost knowledge from our soul’s time in the intangible realm. It still isn’t true knowledge of the Forms but rather at best imitations, which I’d argue wouldn’t allow anyone, even a philosopher, to honestly claim that they possess the truth required to make such a claim. As imitations of the Forms are all around us, but that knowledge isn’t acceptable as it is but a shoddy copy and our bodies of flesh corrupt our understanding of the Good. So I don’t believe that any knowledge about the Forms gained through the act of philosophy is worthy of being considered true knowledge, and as such I don’t believe that Plato has the rational ground to the claim that he knows anything at all. In conclusion Plato’s Theory of the Forms is the belief that all objects that exist in the material plane are based on the Forms or essence that supersede the existence of the material objects. The Theory of the Forms is classified as a metaphysical system and is heavily dependent on Plato’s theory of the soul, two worlds, and philosopher. I disagree with the Theory of the Forms on the bases that it unprovable or falseable, and that I don’t believe Plato, based on the Theory of the Forms, would be qualified to make the claim that the theory exists or that he knows anything at