Plato’s view on Sense Perception

According to Plato’s philosophy, sense-perception was considered unreliable and only provided opinions, not true knowledge; he believed that true knowledge came from accessing the realm of Forms through reason, not through the senses which could be deceived by the changing physical world. 

Key points about Plato’s view on sense perception:

• Imperfect and fleeting:

  Plato argued that the physical world perceived by the senses is constantly changing and therefore cannot be a source of reliable knowledge. 

• Distinction between opinion and knowledge:

  Sense perception was associated with “opinion” which is less certain and reliable compared to ”Knowledge” attained through intellectual understanding of the Forms. 

• Allegory of the Cave:

  This famous metaphor from Plato’s “Republic” illustrates how our perception of reality through the senses is like shadows on a cave wall, while true knowledge lies beyond in the realm of Forms.