Final answer:
Plato's concept of Material vs Immortal pertains to his dualistic view wherein Material refers to the impermanent physical world and Immortal to the unchanging realm of forms or ideas, associated with the soul's eternal aspect.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Plato discusses Material vs Immortal, it is essential to understand it within the context of his metaphysical dualism. The correct answer to the student's question is (a): Material refers to physical existence, while Immortal refers to the spiritual or eternal. In Plato's philosophy, material signifies the tangible, transitory, and imperfect realm we experience through our senses. This is the world of change and becoming. In contrast, immortal relates to the non-material, abstract, and perfect forms or ideas, which are unchanging and eternal, existing in the realm of the ideal or the spiritual. The soul, in Platonic dualism, is associated with this immortal aspect and is considered eternal and more important than the physical body.
Plato's idealism posits a realm of perfect, immutable forms which actual things in the material world imperfectly imitate. The philosopher's role is to transcend the material through reason and apprehend these eternal forms, aligning one's soul with the immortal rather than the transient material. In his work, especially in dialogues like the Phaedo, Plato explores how the soul exists separately from the body, aiming to achieve wisdom and a state of purity resembling the immutable nature of the forms.