Final answer:
According to Plato, true predication is tied to his philosophy of 'forms', which are conceptual, abstract realities representing the most fundamental kind of truth. Knowledge, hence, is linked to understanding of these forms, a principle that was questioned in the 20th century leading to the emergence of the Gettier problem.
Step-by-step explanation:
The philosophy of Plato, a Greek philosopher, is fundamental to understanding what a 'true predication' means. Plato believed that true knowledge, or justified true belief, comes from understanding the immutable 'forms' that underlie the changeable material world we experience with our senses. These 'forms' are conceptual, eternal, and unchanging abstract realities that represent the highest and most fundamental kinds of reality.
Following the concept of the immaterial 'forms', Plato held that to have true knowledge about a thing, one must know about its form. For instance, to truly know a physical object such as a table, one must grasp the 'Form' of the table which is an abstract, perfect, eternal idea in the realm of forms. The philosopher's task, in Plato's view, is to access this immaterial realm of 'forms' and try to elucidate its truths to others.
However, Plato's notions of knowledge and reality were critically examined in the 20th century's philosophical discourses. This led to challenging the sufficiency of 'justified true belief' as a definition of knowledge. It introduced what is now known as the Gettier problem, suggesting that justified true belief may not always constitute knowledge. This stimulated vigorous debate and further development within the field of epistemology.
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