Plato s Views On Art And Representation - 1322 Words

Art and representation have been common for a very long time. From the dawn of mankind, human beings have been trying to represent the world that they see around them. Cave paintings in Indonesian island of Sulawesi and El Castillo, Spain date back more than 35000 years (Wilford). With the invention of language and writing, these representations have only become more detailed and vivid. Now in the modern world, with the cameras and cell phones, actual pictures of the real world assist people to represent the world around them. There is no doubt that art and representation have been around for a long time, but so is the question of whether they are beneficial or harmful for the society. Many scholars have argued for and against this topic. Plato, one of the pioneer of Western philosophy, is one of the foremost scholar to denounce art and representation, whereas Aristotle, and most of the modern scholars like Derrida directly criticize Plato’s opinion and applaud art and represe ntation. Some scholars like Joyce, however, are not so vocal about their support, but instead prefer to show their approval by means of their art, like Joyce does in Portrait of the Young Man as an Artist. Plato, in his Republic, argued that art and representation are harmful for society and hence should be banned. Though, it is to be noted that he didn’t always have such ardent belief against art and representation; even in Republic itself, Plato starts off Book II by saying that art does have aShow MoreRelatedPlato : Art, Poetry And The Theory Of Forms912 Words   |  4 PagesPlato: Art, Poetry and the Theory of Forms In The Republic, Plato argues that poetry and certain art forms including painting and drama, are mimetic and merely representations of various truths, which exist only in an abstract state he describes as â€Å"Forms† . In order to understand his repudiation of art and poetry, it s important to grasp the fundamental idea of Forms, and how they relate to truth in his view. According to Plato ( through Socratic dialogue), Forms are abstract ideas that representRead MoreThe Concept of Mimesis in Platos Allegory of the Cave1160 Words   |  5 Pagescertain medium is a representation of reality. The concept of mimesis extends to art, media, and other texts. Mimesis also creates a sense of false reality, as often the art appears and is can be taken as real as the real world. In Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, the concept of mimesis is explained and through analysis of the novel and several other pieces of work can the implications and effects of mimesis be grasped. In The Allegory of the Cave, Plato’s concept that art is a representation of reality canRead MoreAnalysis Of The Cave Wall 896 Words   |  4 Pagesthrough art, even though we don not have knowledge of the individual(s) identity, we know of their existence. Throughout humanity the image can be viewed as a conceptual idea, the actual capturing an image, making this object has only been around for 170 years, however are brains have the ability to capture images, not only that it can capture images and renders them into dreams. This imaginary ‘visions’ are our own and are completely unreal, but can be the realist part of our day, Plato talked aboutRead MoreThe Greek Of Greek Tragedy1514 Words   |  7 Pagesrelevant today because the themes and issues expressed within it are still present in the 21st century such as undeserved suffering, death and relationships. The greeks produced many great works of art and theatre as well as revolutionising politics, ethics, a esthetics and philosophy with philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle and their theories such as their theories on form and Catharsis. Many people suggest that modern day theatre and performance is derived directly from Ancient Greek Theatre andRead More Politics Essay1524 Words   |  7 Pagesdivergent, reach collective decisions that are generally regarded as binding on the group and enforced as common policy. Political theory or political philosophy is as old as the oldest civilisations. The Greek philosophers, such as Aristotle and Plato, developed important political theories and methods of government alongside their more abstract philosophies. One may contest that every society and every belief we hold is a reflection of the political system we live under. Politics, in it absoluteRead MorePlato Vs Aristotle On Politics And Philosophy1899 Words   |  8 PagesPlato versus Aristotle Plato and Aristotle, two philosophers in the 4th century, hold polar views on politics and philosophy in general. This fact is very cleverly illustrated by Raphael s School of Athens (1510-11; Stanza della Segnatura, Vatican), where Plato is portrayed looking up to the higher forms; and Aristotle is pointing down because he supports the natural sciences. In a discussion of politics, the stand point of each philosopher becomes an essential factor. It is not coincidental thatRead More Aristotelian Rhetoric: Pr ogression of Sophists Nascent Teachings2545 Words   |  11 Pagesconsider the Greek philosopher, Aristotle, one of the great contributors to our present understanding of this art which, since its early origins and until present, has been a controversial field of study because of its association with persuasion and influence. However, readings of the many ancient and contemporary texts and analyses of the origins and the developments of this ancient art marginalized the role of the Sophists, who were the first to introduce rhetoric to Greece, and usually associatedRead MorePlato Vs. Rhetoric : Plato And Rhetoric2524 Words   |  11 PagesPlato and Rhetoric Plato is one of the greatest philosophers in history. Often his words and sayings resonate to this day. But, considering all what Plato has done, what is most peculiar about him is his condemnation of poets and sophists. Plato is in a constant fight to see that the way of true philosophy replaces these false arts. But even much more interesting is that Plato goes even further, and condemns the use of rhetoric, the art of persuasion, as a whole. He not only does this adamantlyRead MoreComparing Dante And Aquinas On Happiness1377 Words   |  6 Pagesperfect ordinary happiness on earth, happiness on earth is not important as compared to happiness in Heaven, following of Aristotle virtues was not a problem to them but it could not help in trying moments, and lastly the importance of perfecting the art of love especially to people One of the major themes which Dante inferno raises is the nature of the virtues. Like the spirits of hell, the spirits that are encountered by Dante have all sinned. The spirits out there were punished because of breakingRead MoreThe Impact Of Photography On The 19th Century2359 Words   |  10 Pagesthat reflects occasions that have occurred, individuals and society. All work of art shows impact from the general public in which the specialists live, the materials accessible to them, and also the innovation of their times. Ancient man utilized cavern dividers as ground and shades produced using ocher, and his topic was impacted by superstition and nature. Throughout the history of Philadelphia, painting as an art has advanced and there are plenty of collections of gallery artistic pictures belonging