Paul Chung: Plato on Art

Plato disliked the idea that art was real, rather it was imitation. It is imitation because it does not represent the reality we're in. This was because Plato, ultimately believed that the world was represented in shapes and forms. This idea referred back to Plato's Allegory of the Cave. The philosopher essentially is the one freed from the confines of the cave, and is able to free themselves from the cave thusly, seeing the bigger picture. Art serves as imitation to things that are reality. Imitation falls under copying, and Plato dislikes that notion. I disagree. Art is not imitation, it's initiation. It initiates in the form of starting something that had no beginning. Initiation drives creativity, and establishes context.

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