Evolution of the Theory of Forms

One of the central theories that interweave itself into most of Plato’s metaphysical and epistemological philosophies is the theory of forms. The theory of forms, however, has not remained a constant ideology and in fact has changed over the course of the dialogues written by Plato. This essay will compare and contrast the theory of forms as it exists in Plato’s middle dialogues the Symposium and The Republic against how the theory of form persists in Plato’s later dialogue The Sophist. In The Republic VI Plato’s presents what has come to be known as a common depiction of the theory of forms. In The Republic, specifically book VI, we see Socrates discussing what the overall form of the good would be and how it relates to a just society with mainly his interlocutors being, Glaucon. To illustrate how Socrates believes our knowledge is divided into four tiers of existence he introduces the analogy of the divided line. Socrates states that we should “take a line which has been cut into two unequal parts, and divide each of them again in the same proportion...”(Republic VI 509d). This line’s main divisions are to represent the visible world (the first section) and the intelligible world (the latter). The visible world is divided into two sections. The first section contains things such as shadows and reflections and the second contains the actual physical things that cast these shadows (Republic VI510a). Socrates. Glaucon agreeing with Socrates, notes that within these two divisions there exist two varying levels of truth. The intelligible world is also divided in two sections. The first section includes knowledge such as mathematical understanding, this is deemed lower by Socrates as its hypothesis relate only to those in the visible realm and do not transcend to a higher first principle (Republic VI 511a). The second section of the intelligible realm is what Socrates deems is the highest form on the hierarchy. This realm contains knowledge “which reason