Slides for Plato for the Introduction to the Philosophy of Art

1. Allegory of the CaveAllegory of the Cave
Plato

3. How do you know? What is real?

4. How do you know? What is real?
You know best that which
changes least.
That which changes least
is most real.

5. How do you know? What is real?
You know best that which
changes least.
That which changes least
is most real.

6. How do you know? What is real?
You know best that which
changes least.
That which changes least
is most real.

7. How do you know? What is real?
imaginings illusions
You know best that which changes least. That which changes least is most real.

8. How do you know? What is real?
imaginings illusions
beliefs
sensations
ordinary
things
You know best that which changes least. That which changes least is most real.

9. How do you know? What is real?
imaginings illusions
{visible world
beliefs
sensations
ordinary
things
You know best that which changes least. That which changes least is most real.

10. How do you know? What is real?
imaginings illusions
{visible world
the eye the sun
beliefs
sensations
ordinary
things
You know best that which changes least. That which changes least is most real.

11. How do you know? What is real?
imaginings illusions
{visible world
the eye the sun
reasoning
proofs
geometric forms
functions
formulae
Understanding Forms
beliefs
sensations
ordinary
things
You know best that which changes least. That which changes least is most real.

12. How do you know? What is real?
imaginings illusions
{visible world
the eye the sun
Understanding forms
Recognition of:
The Good
The True
The Beautiful
The True
The Beautiful
The Good
reasoning
proofs
geometric forms
functions
formulae
beliefs
sensations
ordinary
things
You know best that which changes least. That which changes least is most real.

13. How do you know? What is real?
imaginings illusions
visible world
the eye the sun
Understanding forms
The Good
{Intelligible
World
the Mind
Recognition of:
The Good
The True
The Beautiful
The True
The Beautiful
reasoning
proofs
geometric forms
functions
formulae
beliefs
sensations
ordinary
things
You know best that which changes least. That which changes least is most real.
{

14. How do you know?
–Recognition
What is real?
–The Forms
imaginings illusions
the eye the sun
Understanding forms
the Mind
You know best that which changes least. That which changes least is most real.
Recognition of:
The Good
The True
The Beautiful
The True
The Beautiful
reasoning
proofs
geometric forms
functions
formulae
beliefs
sensations
ordinary
things
the eye is like the mind.
the Good is like the sun.
The Good

15. the eye
the sun
the eye is like the mind. the Good is like the sun.
The Good

16. How do you know?
–Recognition
What is real?
–The Forms
imaginings illusions
Understanding forms
the Mind
Where would Plato place the artwork? Where would you?
reasoning
proofs
geometric forms
functions
formulae
beliefs
sensations
ordinary
things
The Good

17. How do you know?
–Recognition
What is real?
–The Forms
imaginings illusions
Understanding forms
the Mind
Where would Plato place the artwork? Where would you?
reasoning
proofs
geometric forms
functions
formulae
beliefs
sensations
ordinary
things
The Good

18. I do not mean by beauty of form such beauty as that of animals
or pictures, which the many would suppose to be my meaning;
but understand me to mean straight lines and circles, and the
plane and solid figures which are formed out of them by turning
lathes and rulers and measures of angles; for these I affirm to
be not only relatively beautiful, like other works of art, but they
are eternally and abstractly beautiful.
Plato, Philebus 51c

19. Leonardo,
Vitruvious Man

20. Leonardo,
Tetracedron

21. Leonardo,
Dodecahedron

22. Paolo Ucello,
Chalice

23. Ictinus & Callicrates, Parthenon

24. Ictinus & Callicrates, Parthenon

25. Ictinus & Callicrates, Parthenon

26. Myron, Discobolus

27. Myron, Discobolus

28. Myron, Discobolus

29. Paolo Ucello, St George & the Dragon

30. Paolo Ucello, Battle of San RomanoPaolo Ucello, Battle of San Romano

31. Raphael,
Engagement

32. Raphael,
Engagement

33. Raphael, School of Athens

34. Raphael, School of Athens

35. Massaccio,
Trinity
9/3

36. Massaccio,
Trinity

37. Leonardo, Last Supper

38. Leonardo, Last Supper

39. Dürer, Melancholia

40. Cezanne, Bibemus Quarry

41. Cezanne, Still LifeCezanne, Still Life

42. Cezanne, Mt St Victoire

43. Cezanne, Mt St Victoire

44. Picasso,
House with
Garden

45. Picasso, Landscape with Bridge

46. Juan Gris,
Still Life with
Fruit and
Mandolin

47. DuChamp,
Nude
Descending a
Staircase

48. Klee,
Highways and
Byways

49. Klee, Ad Parnassum

50. How do you know?
–Recognition
What is real?
–The Forms
imaginings illusions
Understanding forms
the Mind
Where would Plato place the artwork? Where would you?
reasoning
proofs
geometric forms
functions
formulae
beliefs
sensations
ordinary
things
The Good

51. How do you know?
–Recognition
What is real?
–The Forms
imaginings illusions
Understanding forms
the Mind
What feature support Plato’s theory of imitation?
What features refute it?
reasoning
proofs
geometric forms
functions
formulae
beliefs
sensations
ordinary
things
The Good

52. In two sentences, select a feature
from art from the Cave of
Forgotten Dreams that most
exemplifies Plato's theory and
state how it does so. In two more
sentences, select a feature from
the Cave of Forgotten Dreams
that most refutes Plato's theory
and state how it does so. Use
direct quotes from Plato. Keep it
pithy, extra sentences may detract
from your score.
Application