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sensible objects and Plato

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Why according to Plato, are ordinary, sensible objects like trees or chairs merely objects of opinion while only the Forms (the Just itself, the Beautiful itself) are knowable?

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Solution Summary

The essential truth of things for Plato is highlighted.

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According to Plato, the essential truth of things does not exist in everyday objects that we see but in an unseen idea or form of those objects. The eternal forms are perfect and unchangeable through time. This is a crucial point in many of Plato's dialogues. In the Republic, the philosopher who emerges from the cave eventually learns the truth of things by being able to stare directly at the sun. This means that he sees it as it is and ...

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