The Republic by Plato - Essay Example

Forms are a theory presented by Plato, which affirms that the nonmaterial world holds the highest and most primary kind of reality. Forms are pure and exist independently in an orderly interconnection that defines real entities. They are more objective and real than material objects. For the non-philosophical minds, Plato justifies the realm of Forms when he equates the concept with mathematics, arguing that there are truths that are most definite and real and do not exist in the material world (The Republic).

In this case, it means that there is an existence of a real realm, which Plato classifies as Forms. In the Republic, Plato explains the theory of Forms through the allegory of the cave. Those inside a cave only see shadows, but those who step out experience reality (Forms). Another example is the Form of beauty, in which one delineates beauty in a painting because of the intuitive perception they originally have of beauty. Four Levels of Knowledge and their respective object of knowledge Plato presents the four types of knowledge through the analogy of the divided line.

He lists Noesis, Dianoia, Pistis, and Eikasia as types of knowledge or opinion. Noesis is knowledge involves the understanding of only the intelligible and its type of object is only ideas, which involves existence and truth. Dianoia is a knowledge that involves thought that recognizes but is not only of the Intelligible. Its type of object is some ideas, for instance, number and geometry. Pistis is an opinion, which involves beliefs about visible things. Its type of object is visible things.

Finally, Eikasia is an opinion with conjectures concerning likenesses. It is an illusion or imagination whose type of object is likeness concerning visible things.