Plato's Republic Flashcards
who is the central figure of Plato’s the republic?
Socrates
who was Socrates student?
Plato
what was the republic about?
it was a book about education and educating those who would be rulers
what did Plato believe would make a good leader?
a philosopher
what was the 1st university in Europe called and who founded it?
it was called The Academy and it was founded by Plato
what was the theory Plato created called?
the theory of understanding. the theory of knowledge
why was this theory important for art?
it was the 1st recording in western philosophy that art is discussed. what art is.
what was at the bottom of the theory of understanding?
shadows and images and the visible realm.
what is the 3rd on the theory of understanding? and why?
physical things. this is above art as Plato believes to understand why turn to an image or imitation to know / understand over the physical thing
what is the 2nd half or top half of the theory of understanding?
the theory of form and the intellectual realm.
what does Plato equate art with?
copies of the physical world
what is mimesis?
the re-presentation of objects. art is viewed as copies of the physical realm
what is the bottom half the intellectual realm?
B. logic, mathematical reasoning. the idea of the object opposed to the object itself
what is the top half of the intellectual realm?
the forms.
what is the theory of the form?
Plato believed to truly understand the object you must understand the principle / concept, the idea of the object.
what was the story of Plato’s cave?
Plato’s cave was an allegory for the effect of education and lack of it within life e.g. screens.
what was the levels of Plato’s cave?
- prisoners chained looking ahead 2. puppeteers preforming 3. fire to cast the shadows 4.outside of the cave or reality
what was the outside of the cave or reality?
the forms
what was a reason Plato was mistrusting of art?
art just resembles the object without being. it is not reality
did Plato believe artists thought of forms when creating?
no he believed artists are just copying the object and never considers or thinks of the ideas, practices and form / intellectual realm
how removed from reality is art according to Plato?
3rd removed
did Plato think art was deceiving?
Yes, the illusions in perspective in art misconstrued the idea, function and the form of the object. It was not accurate
what are the 3 elements of the soul?
- reason / understanding 2. spirit / courage 3. appetite / instinct
what does Plato encourage in regards to the 3 elements of the soul?
- reason and understanding. It is the mind the rest is discouraged.
