Plato

• Forms

  essence of something - concept/an idea of something that can be recognised - they are unchanging

  • the forms can be known only through reason - rationalism
  • all material things we experience in the world around us are imitations of their perfect Forms

  the most important form was the form of the Good

  • illuminates the other forms and gives them their value
  • true knowledge is knowledge of goodness
  • philosophers must love wisdom and actively put it into practice
  • forms lower down in the hierarchy are more particular and specific and more closely related to material objects