Final answer:
Plato believed that our earthly world and everything in it are imperfect representations of the perfect world of ideas. To find truth and understanding, we need to contemplate the forms or universal essences that give things their identity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Plato believed that what we encounter in this earthly world are shadows or imperfect representations of the perfect world, which is the world of ideas. Our world and everything in it is subject to decay and imperfection, while the realm of ideas is eternal and unchanging. Plato argued that to find truth and understanding, we need to go beyond materialism and contemplate the forms or universal essences that give things their identity.