Abstract
Plato’s concepts of art and aesthetics encompass the core elements of his philosophical principles. Specifically, Plato shows how art becomes an imitation of an imitation: a clear reference to the philosopher’s concept of forms. Within Plato’s philosophy of art being nothing more than an imitation of an imitation is a value judgment, because Plato proposes that anything that is an imitation is also something that distracts and distorts reality. In other words, art can adversely impact the human ability to use reason. However, art served a fundamentally different purpose in ancient Greece than it does in the twenty-first century. Plato’s philosophy of art and aesthetics can seem anachronistic in light of the role art plays in postmodern society. When viewed in light of the role art played in ancient Greece, though, Plato’s philosophy of art showcases the logic behind the allegory of the cave in the Republic. Essentially, art can be little more than an imitation of an imitation when it remains derivative and unconscious of the political import of human creative acts.

Introduction

Every person has at some point viewed art that is little more than an imitation: works that depict scenes from daily life, portraits, still life scenes, or landscapes. Even when art becomes imbued with emotional intensity or is executed well, elevating the senses to appreciation, awe and wonder, it is still little more than entertainment. Plato considered art in this way: as something frivolous at best and at worst, even dangerous due to its ability to distract the mind from what is true and real (“Plato,” n.d.). According to Plato, then, beauty can only be located in the truth. Art can lead the person to contemplate and appreciate aesthetic beauty, but can never lead the person to truth. 

Furthermore, art is defined by its being created by human beings. Human beings already have a distorted sense of reality. In Plato’s Republic, the philosopher relays his concept of the Forms. Using the allegory of the cave, Plato shows how the majority of what the human mind perceives is a distortion of reality. The allegory showcases a group of people in a cave who become fascinated by the shadows dancing on the wall instead of venturing outside the cave to discover the source of the shadows: the sun and the light that refracts off of physical objects. A person who does leave the cave to perceive the truth may be ostracized from society, but at least that person possesses great power in knowing the truth about reality. 

Using this same analogy of the cave and the shadows created by the sun, art would be like cave drawings. Plato wants his audience to understand that art is an imitation of an imitation. Like the child’s game of telephone, the root message becomes distorted when it is filtered through successive layers of consciousness. Plato believes in the existence of an absolute truth that is independent of the human mind, and suggests that the human mind mistakes illusion for reality. Becoming overly wrapped up in aesthetics can lead a mind astray from the core goal of philosophy: which is to discern the truth.

For Plato, the job of the philosopher is to venture outside of the cave. Venturing outside of the cave means sacrificing the shared reality of the shadows on the wall in favor of knowing the truth. Therefore, Plato assumes an antagonistic role towards art. Anything that comes in the way of the truth is akin to lying, which makes it unethical. In Plato’s worldview, art can therefore be seen as unethical given that it is an imitation of an imitation.  Plato disregards other aspects of artistic expression such as the inherent value of art, art for art’s sake, or the sheer pleasure that art can provide to the artist and the audience. 

Yet there is no evidence that conceptual art existed at all in Plato’s time. If all art is merely imitative, then surely it could be argued that it leads the mind away from more intellectually fruitful activities like seeking the truth. Plato had not begun to...…their rituals and folkways should not become rigid. Rituals and art, however beautiful, are no substitute for truth, ethics, and justice.

In fact, art often serves to bolster the power of religion or politics. Even in ancient Greece, long before the emergence of the Catholic Church and other globally influential organizations commissioned grandiose works of art to propagate their dogma, art was used for the solidification and perpetuation of power. The temples of ancient Greece are in fact part of the aesthetic body Plato refers to when the philosopher critiques art as a poor imitation of the truth. The masses mistake the beauty of the temple for the reality of the cosmos. Similarly, the masses mistake the dogma of their religion for the power of human reason. Socrates speaks in favor of reason over religion and is killed for it in the Apology. Plato also decries the way art can be used to distract and numb the public, which allows the public to be easily manipulated.

It is not so much that Plato is against art or undervalues aesthetics in any way. On the contrary, Plato does acknowledge the importance of beauty as a Form (Pappas, 2016). Even the most splendid work of art is still but an imitation of what the artist truly wants to say, much in the same way language never fully conveys the deepest sentiments of the speaker. Human beings should always strive to understand more and to seek the truth rather than remain satisfied with amusing shadows on the wall.

Conclusion

Plato provides a consistent and controversial theory of art. Art is an imitation of an imitation, according to the Greek philosopher. Most of what human beings think they know ends up being but a shadow of the real truth. The unfolding of scientific knowledge and inquiry has dispelled countless illusions, just as the philosopher exposes the shadows on the wall for what they really are. While art can lead a person to contemplate and seek the truth, it can never actually be ultimate reality.