Plato

Plato was born in 427 B.C in Athens, Greece. He was heavily influenced by names we now know as legends such as Socrates and Pythagoras. He became involved in politics at Syracuse but after failing to make an impact, he left for Athens. There, he established the Academy, a fraternal school devoted to both research and teaching. It was attended by many, the best-known being Aristotle. He is famous for his philosophy, which was often recorded in the form of dialogues (Audi, 1995, p. 620).

Plato

One of his chief contributions to philosophy was the concept of “forms”. These forms are abstract objects (such as love, justice, piety, roundness) but are eternal, changeless, independent, real, objective, and incorporeal (Blackburn, 1994, p. 289).   They exist independently of thought but can only be experienced through thought (Audi, 1995, p. 621). These forms are ideals but do not actually exist in the real world (Blackburn, 1994, p. 144). Concrete objects gain their characteristics, such as roundness or beauty, by ‘participating’ in these forms (Audi, 1995, p. 621). In other words, these concrete objects are similar to or share a relationship with these forms, so we describe them as beautiful or round even if the object is not perfectly round or beautiful (because it does not exist in the real world) (Audi, 1995, p. 621). Simply put, what makes something round is because it resembles the form, roundness (Blackburn, 1994, p. 288). Knowledge of these forms is an ultimate goal for a philosopher (Blackburn, 1994, p. 144). Knowledge of the form justice, for example, gives someone an intelligent base to critique and describe something here on earth that we consider just (Blackburn, 1994, p. 144). If we discover more about these forms, it will inevitably lead to transformation and moral and religious inspiration (Audi, 1995, p. 621).

Although Plato underwent heavy critique for his theory, we as Christians have something very valuable to learn from him. It is true that there is no perfect form that exists here on Earth. There is no perfect beauty, justice, goodness, or virtue. However, God himself is perfect. Knowledge of these forms may lead you to a place where you learn to appreciate the one in whom this perfection exists. He is the definition that we compare other things to. It is only by God’s standard, the creator of forms, that we can judge and critique what is good or bad, just or unjust. These forms allow an ultimate standard to exist, which you will only find in God. It brings up the verse in Philippians where Paul encourages us to dwell on things that are good. He says “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Phil. 4:8, NIV). Why should we not think about the nature of beauty, justice, virtue, piety, goodness, gentleness, peace, or love? It may lead us to the only one in whom such things exist in perfection, wholeness and unity.