Platonism

right|thumb|250px|Plato, one of the first philosophers to discuss ideas in detail. Aristotle claims that many of Plato's views were Pythagorean in origin. In philosophy and in common usage, an idea (from the Greek word: ἰδέα (idea), meaning 'a form, or a pattern') is the result of thought. Also in philosophy, ideas can also be mental representational images of some object. Many philosophers have considered ideas to be a fundamental ontological category of being. The capacity to create and understand the meaning of ideas is considered to be an essential and defining feature of human beings.

thumb|Head of Plato, Roman copy. The original was exhibited at the Academy after the death of the philosopher (348/347 BC).

thumb|Kamppi Chapel in Helsinki City Centre is a [[community centre, assigned for contemplation.]] thumb|Nature contemplation

Mimesis (; , mīmēsis) is a term used in literary criticism and philosophy that carries a wide range of meanings, including imitatio, imitation, similarity, receptivity, representation, mimicry, the act of expression, the act of resembling, and the presentation of the self.

philosophical theory attributed to Plato

normative ethical theories

Diairesis (, "division") is a form of classification used in ancient (especially Platonic) logic that serves to systematize concepts and come to definitions. When defining a concept using diairesis, one starts with a broad concept, then divides this into two or more specific sub-concepts, and this procedure is repeated until a definition of the desired concept is reached. Aristotle makes extensive use of diaresis in categorization as basis for syllogizing. He makes clear, however, that definition by diaresis does not in itself prove anything. Apart from this definition, the procedure also resu

metaphysical theory, alleged by his pupils and others to be esoterically taught by Plato, but not clearly given in his writings; the Tübingen School reconstructs it to comprise The One—a monistic principle—and The Indefinite Dyad of indeterminacy

In Platonism, dianoia (Greek: διάνοια) is the human cognitive faculty associated with the BC portion of the analogy of the divided line and related to discursive thinking about mathematical and technical subjects. It stands in contrast to the immediate, cognitive process of intuitive apprehension or noesis.

epistemology developed by Plato and his followers

meta-ethical view

aristocracy ruled by philosopher-kings

The hyperuranion or topos hyperuranios (, accusative of ὑπερουράνιος τόπος, "place beyond heaven"), which is also called Platonic realm, is a place in heaven where all ideas of real things are collected together. As a perfect realm of Forms, the hyperuranion is within Plato's view that the idea of a phenomenon is beyond the realm of real phenomena and that everything we experience in our lives is merely a copy of a perfect model. It is described as higher than the gods since their divinity depended on the knowledge of the hyperuranion beings."But the region above the heaven (ὑπερουράνιον τόπον

metaphorical tutelary divinity of Socrates