Word
Platonic Form
In Plato's philosophy, a perfect, unchanging standard, such as Equality itself, that exists independently of individual objects.
Examples
The drawn circle serves as an imperfect illustration of a Platonic Form.
Calling a design the Platonic Form of a chair borrows a philosophical idea for everyday praise.
Origin
Named for the Greek philosopher Plato. His dialogues distinguish particular things from Forms such as Beauty or Equality; the English word translates terms including eidos and idea.
How it connects
A Platonic Form is the stable standard invoked when particular examples fall short.
This word appeared in The standard behind the comparison, the Involves connection for October 30, 2026, which asked: How do you recognize an imperfect example of something?
Check yourself
Which example expresses the distinction behind a Platonic Form?
A drawn triangle is imperfect, but the geometrical standard is exact. Exactly. The distinction separates a particular example from the standard by which it is judged.
What the sources establish
Plato's Forms distinguish stable objects of understanding, including Equality itself, from sensible particulars.
Sources
Phaedo (Plato; Benjamin Jowett translation; Project Gutenberg), 74a–75d: equal pieces of wood and stone, Equality itself, and recollection
Plato's Middle Period Metaphysics and Epistemology (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy), Forms; recollection in the Phaedo; issues for the theory of Forms