Essay Example on Plato's Theory of Forms: Exploring the Good Life

At the core of Plato's philosophy is the theory of Forms, also referred to as the theory of Ideas (Piyong 206). The theory rests that nonmaterial forms or ideas hold the uppermost ultimate reality, unlike the material domain of change that is known to humans through sensation (Piyong 206). Plato formulated the Forms in a move to suggest a possible solution to universal problems. The following paper will explain Plato's Theory of Forms and discuss what the theory suggests about a good life. An argument will also be made to determine if Plato is right in his theory of forms.

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Greek philosophers such as Heraclitus believed that nothing is stable or precise, but things change, whereas Parmenides asserted that all motion, time and change are an illusion (Piyong 206). Parmenides claimed that nothing was changing. Plato combined the two thoughts and argued that knowledge objects are real and never changing, while opinion objects are continually evolving (Piyong 206). As such, Plato argued that forms or ideas are examples of the physical world existing in the eternal world. Forms are claimed to be an abstract representation of things surrounding us. Plato also argued that forms are timeless, in changeable, intelligible, eternal, and are causes of being (Piyong 206). Typically, Plato's theory of Forms is based on the conviction that the material world is not the actual world. Unlike what it seems to us, it is only a reflection of the actual world (Piyong 206).

In distinguishing instances and forms of things, Plato asserted that all things have a form, exclusive of real instances of a thing (Piyong 207). For example, beauty has many instances. People's opinions on beauty differ significantly. Further, beautiful things are dynamic and constantly changing. It is by forms that we recognize characteristics when it takes place. As such, the form of "beauty" is used in recognizing beautiful things.

Therefore, it is evident that forms are single and external, while things, in reality, can change. As in the example of beauty used above, it is clear that there are many different beautiful things even though there is only one form of "beauty". We usually enter the world of forms before they are made into objects, and this makes us only be left with memories because forms are invisible (Piyong 206). This makes us have limited perceptions. Forms have no specific shapes, and they only exist in our minds, and they can be referred to as colorless, shapeless, real existence and they are termed to only be visible to the intelligence.

According to Plato's thoughts, forms are the reason of the essence of all other things, and he claims that forms are related to things in ways such as imitation, participation as well as cause (Piyong, 206). Plato also explains the different ways to discover forms (Piyong, 206). Forms can be discovered through recollection, desire and dialectic. Recollection emphasizes mainly on the fact of our souls remembering forms from previous existences while the desire for knowledge is crucial. Dialectic, on the other hand, refers to discussions and explorations of forms together.

The Allegory of the Cave is used as an excellent example for the illustration of Plato's theory of forms(Kahn,339). In the cave, for example, people move from the dark of the cave to the direction of the light of the outdoors (Kahn,340). This only gives us an example or a prevue of how knowledge can have emotional impact on us, and as we learnt about forms, seeing something does not necessarily mean that we can see all of it. The same fact applies to the fact that if we cannot see something, it does not mean that it does not exist.

Plato's theory of forms was also related to the theory of knowledge. Plato believed that knowledge is acquirable, and he believed that knowledge was supposed to have different characteristics, such as being real as well as certain and infallible (Piyong 206). He stated that the real knowledge was that which was permanent, fixed and unchanging. Plato was opposed to the statements that knowledge was derived from sense experience, and he said that such knowledge was not certain as it had only a degree of probability.

Since the objects of the sense of experience are in a physical world which is ever continuously changing, Plato claims that true knowledge can only be acquired through forms. Plato says that to learn the forms is the object of knowledge (Kahn,345). In Plato's texts of the Republic, the myth of the cave and the image of the divided line are discussed, and the main thing that Plato aims to do is to distinguish or differentiate between knowledge and opinions (Piyong 206). It is shown that most of our visible world observations are opinions which may either be well-founded or not. Therefore, the real world is made up of eternal forms or universals, which are the reason results and objects of intellectual and rational insights.

The theory of forms has some strengths as well as weaknesses. Its main strength is that it is a theory which is proved by the method of inference. This is shown by the fact that the theory has been used or is continuous use over time. The fact that it is also compatible with many systems of thoughts is also another advantage (Piyong 206). Its flaws demonstrate the inadequacies of the words and concepts to approach a definition of the infinite or timeless. It is also a weakness that we mainly emphasize the theory after Plato found its strengths from the acknowledgement of his weaknesses rather than those of the wider population.

Plato's theory suggested different things about the good life or human happiness. In the Plato's view of a good life, man's social obligation to the common good as well as knowledge are emphasized(Kahn,340). A good life is seen as that one which brings an advantage to the society and community, and the common good is essential. Plato claims that people who usually view a good life as that one who has power, fame and great wealth for their own sake are misguided and these are not the basis of a good life or the overall human happiness. Plato states that people should seek knowledge to understand things better so that they can have a good life' s(Kahn,346). In Plato's view, morally good people may be short of fame or wealth, but they may have inner harmony that may enable them to live a happy and good life. Plato was right, and I would support his view as life is not all about fame, power and wealth and some people even live happier lives without them.

Works Cited

Kahn, Charles H. "The Meaning of 'Justice' and the Theory of Forms *." Plato and Modern Law, 2017, pp. 337-349.

Piyong, L. I. U. "On Plato's Theory of Forms." Canadian Social Science 9.4 (2013): 206.