Plato’s Cave, Animated
For now we see in a mirror indirectly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known. – 1 Corinthians 13:12
This is one of the best philosophical animations that I have seen. It explains Plato’s views very visually and simply. If we had more material like this, perhaps our generation wouldn’t be so mindless and self-indulgent on pointless entertainment. Now, I do not agree with the notion that there are platonic objects but it should not be treated lightly. Plato is half-right, but I side with Aquinas in his attempt to synthesize Aristotle and Plato. For one, it is not possible for a material object’s form to exist without its matter. Properties such as bounciness, roundness, etc are abstract concepts and cannot in themselves be a material object. Rather, prime matter is actualized more perfectly when it is compounded with existence and form. However, I do think Plato is correct in some areas because there are immaterial concepts such as triangularity that cannot be perfectly instantiated in the physical world. Thus, I hold to a position where platonic objects only exist with the divine mind since it does not make sense to assert that abstract objects can exist without one.
