Final answer:
Plato believed in absolute truth, as he considered the material world to be a shadow of a higher, unchangeable reality of Forms, where true knowledge resides. (option a)
Step-by-step explanation:
Plato's philosophy on the belief in absolute truth, as opposed to relative truth. He posits that the sensory world we perceive is merely a dim reflection of a more profound, unchanging reality that holds eternal truths, such as the Forms of goodness and beauty. For Plato, this transcendent realm hosts the ultimate reality and knowledge of truth, beauty, justice, and wisdom, separate from our fluctuating material existence. In his view, truth is not subject to individual perception or societal consensus but exists as an absolute in the realm of Forms.
Plato argued that through rational thought, abstraction, and inductive reasoning, humans could access the unchanging truths that govern the universe. He believed that the Forms represented the true essence of all things, and by understanding these Forms, we could grasp the true nature of reality. Hence, he maintains that truth is absolute, universal, and knowable through the intellect, not through sensory experience or opinion.
The concept of justified true belief forms the backbone of Plato's definition of knowledge. A proposition is considered knowledge if it is believed, true, and justified. This notion stands contrary to relativism, as it implies that truths and moral duties are not determined by individual opinion or cultural norms, but by their alignment with the absolute Forms.
Plato's mentor, Socrates, likewise rejected the relativism of his contemporaries, proposing that fundamental truths could only be discerned through reason and critical discussion. Whereas Plato's student Aristotle and the Aristotelian tradition focused more on observable reality, there was a shared belief in the comprehensibility of the universe and the role of reason as a life guide.