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Plato's most famous contribution is the theory of forms (or ideas), which aims to solve what is now known as the problem of universals. He was influenced by the pre-Socratic thinkers Pythagoras , Heraclitus , and Parmenides , although much of what is known about them is derived from Plato himself.
Plato's views on universals did, however, vary across several different discussions. In some cases, Plato spoke as if the perfect circle functioned as the form or blueprint for all copies and for the word definition of circle. In other discussions, Plato describes particulars as "participating" in the associated universal.
In his paper, 'On Universals', from 1947, he states the problem of universals is chiefly understood as being concerned with entities and not the linguistic aspect of naming a universal. He says that Platonists believe that our ability to form general conceptions of things is incomprehensible unless universals exist outside of the mind, whereas ...
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. Forms are first introduced in the Phaedo , but in that dialogue the concept is simply referred to as something the participants are already familiar with, and the ...
On Ideas (Greek: Περὶ Ἰδεῶν, Peri Ideōn) is a philosophical work which deals with the problem of universals with regards to Plato's Theory of Forms. The work is supposedly by Aristotle , but there is not universal agreement on this point.
Plato's forms exist as universals, like the ideal form of an apple. For Aristotle , both matter and form belong to the individual thing ( hylomorphism ). Aristotle's Theory of Universals is Aristotle 's classical solution to the Problem of Universals , sometimes known as the hylomorphic theory of immanent realism .
In metaphysics, a universal is a proposed type, property, or relation which can be instantiated by many different particulars. While universals are related to the concept of universality, the concept is importantly distinct; see the main page on universals for a full treatment of the topic.
In philosophy, Plato's epistemology is a theory of knowledge developed by the Greek philosopher Plato and his followers.. Platonic epistemology holds that knowledge of Platonic Ideas is innate, so that learning is the development of ideas buried deep in the soul, often under the midwife-like guidance of an interrogator.