Strengths of Plato's Idea of Forms

Strengths of Plato's Idea of Forms

1. Plato may be correct in saying that we do search for 'ideas' and seem to have some vague idea that there are ultimate realities, which he calls the 'Forms' of things.

2. No one might have ever explained to us the connection between, for example, lots of different cats but it could possibly be argued that we sense they belong together

   • Instinct, through our soul (immortal, seen the World of the Forms) being incarnated into a new body

3. Plato argues that our immortal soul 'knows' these Forms as it existed in a realm of the Forms before coming to the world of appearances

   • Argues that soul has some 'knowledge' of what perfectly straight is even though we have never actually seen it in this world
   • When we think about inventing things, isn't it the case that we always have an idea first? Could we have remembered the idea from the world of the Forms?
     • Ideas must have come from somewhere. Plausible assumption

4. Maybe, our senses are as unreliable as Plato suggests.

   • We can question if they are certain enough for us to build our world view upon them
     • Our view may be clouded or hindered by our senses

5. Perhaps the Realm of the Forms does work well regarding concepts such as Justice, Truth, and Beauty

   • Does having ultimate Forms of these overcome the difficulties of relativism and we stop asking what we think is good (for us) and instead find out what ULTIMATE GOODNESS is?
     • Takes away the idea that there is no one truth
     • We can only criticise Truth, Beauty and Justice because they are absolute truths
     • See the bigger picture
     • Stops us from closing our mind off to many ideas and truths
   • And these were the concepts he wished to focus on

6. It is a comprehensive view of existence - understood on different levels

7. Gives us a plausible answer to how we are able to think. Not just thought of as a biological process

8. It triggers new questions to be asked!

   • Expansion of knowledge and thought

9. It links to Christian philosophical thinking

   • The World of Forms could link to heaven