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Plato's philosophy offers one of the earliest reflections in Western thought on the nature and function of images, positioning the image not only as an object of critique but also as a metaphorical and conceptual tool for interpreting reality and human experience. This book explores the theme of the image in Plato's dialogues from this dual perspective: What constitutes an image for Plato, and what is its ontological and epistemological status? What role does visual metaphor play within the framework of Platonic metaphysics? On one hand, Plato associates images with illusion, falsehood, and deception, questioning their relation to truth and reality. On the other hand, he consistently employs the image as a metaphysical model to articulate the relationship between sensible realities and the Forms. The book also argues that a parallel reading of the Sophist and the Timaeus reveals in Plato an early and explicit theorization of the medium itself, alongside a reflection on the paradigm and its normative role in artisanal practices. These metaphors are examined not only in relation to the theory of Forms and participation, but also as essential to Platonic cosmology.
Summary
Plato's philosophy offers one of the earliest reflections in Western thought on the nature and function of images, positioning the image not only as an object of critique but also as a metaphorical and conceptual tool for interpreting reality and human experience. This book explores the theme of the image in Plato's dialogues from this dual perspective: What constitutes an image for Plato, and what is its ontological and epistemological status? What role does visual metaphor play within the framework of Platonic metaphysics? On one hand, Plato associates images with illusion, falsehood, and deception, questioning their relation to truth and reality. On the other hand, he consistently employs the image as a metaphysical model to articulate the relationship between sensible realities and the Forms. The book also argues that a parallel reading of the Sophist and the Timaeus reveals in Plato an early and explicit theorization of the medium itself, alongside a reflection on the paradigm and its normative role in artisanal practices. These metaphors are examined not only in relation to the theory of Forms and participation, but also as essential to Platonic cosmology.
