PLATO’S WORLD OF FORMS : AN ANALYTIC, APPRECIATIVE AND APPLICATIVE STUDY

Abstract

This research article aims to analyze Plato's world of Forms. The methodology employed is qualitative, involving the study and compilation of data from the Phaedo dialogue, relevant documents, and scholarly works concerning Plato's theory of Forms. The findings reveal that although Plato’s theory of the ideal world or the Forms faces objections from differing perspectives, including the Third Man Argument, the problem of participation, and the challenge of explaining change in the physical world, it can nonetheless be strengthened. This can be achieved by reconsidering the distinction between the properties of Forms and those of physical objects, interpreting Forms as sets of similar particulars, and incorporating a Form of Change into the system. Employing a dialectical, reflexive process and hermeneutic method, the study reinterprets Plato’s metaphysical dualism in light of contemporary discussions on realism and universals. The research contributes to current metaphysical discourse by clarifying the epistemological status of the Forms and demonstrating their relevance to modern philosophical and interdisciplinary inquiries, such as logic and conceptual ontology