Philosophical inquiry is a central element in the intellectual history of many civilizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Philosophy, (love of wisdom, intelligence) is the rational, abstract, and methodical consideration of reality as a whole or of fundamental dimensions of human existence and experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Plato\u2019s Theory of Forms – a philosophical theory of metaphysics – it holds that reality as it appears is quite different from reality as it really can be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The theory suggests that the physical world is not as real or true as ideas. Ideas (still in the mind) are timeless and absolute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ideas according to this theory, are the non-physical essences of all things, of which objects and matter in the physical world are merely imitations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The early Greek concept of form was represented by a number of words explaining vision, sight, and appearance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Plato uses these aspects of sight and appearance in his dialogues to explain the Forms and the Good. But Plato’s conception of Forms actually differs from dialogue to dialogue, and in certain respects it is never fully explained, so many aspects of the theory are open to interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the Republic, Plato relies on the concept of Forms as the basis of many of his arguments but did not argue the validity of the theory itself or to explain precisely what Forms are. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This resulted in many commentators each explaining their own idea of what Forms are and how visible objects participate in them, with many others disagreeing on these concepts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is best to read the theory of forms on Wikipedia, but for what I wanted to illustrate here, as closely as possible to what Plato meant, I’m going to interpret it in the way I understood it the first time I heard of it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Subsequent research only distorted my perspective on it, and I thought it useful to offer a different interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Socrates (as told by Plato), most tangible objects and physical events were mere shadows of their ideal or potentially perfect forms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The shadow (manifested object) in its physical reality existed only to the extent in which they could be imagined and materialised by its creator, and not necessarily be the most perfect version of their potentiality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The physical object is merely an unimportant byproduct or secondary effect and a less desirable occurrence or appearance of the idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In other words, Forms or Ideas – and not the material world known – possess the highest and most fundamental kind, but it fails to materialise in the most perfect form on earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Plato believed that long before our bodies ever existed, our souls existed (in heaven or elsewhere) where they became directly acquainted with the forms themselves. And we spend a lifetime on earth trying to duplicate it on earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Knowledge in its absolute truth, to him, was knowledge of the forms. But knowledge of the forms cannot be gained through sensory experience because the forms are not in the physical world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This led me think that\u2026.The Map is not the territory<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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