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Year 7

Plato: exploring worldviews

I can explain Plato’s theory of the forms and how it shapes our understanding of reality.

icon-background-square
New
New
Year 7

Plato: exploring worldviews

I can explain Plato’s theory of the forms and how it shapes our understanding of reality.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Plato was an Ancient Greek philosopher and was Socrates' pupil and Aristotle's teacher.
  2. Plato believed that true knowledge of reality is built in.
  3. The theory of the forms explains true knowledge as understanding perfect, abstract concepts.
  4. Plato's theory influenced the worldview that knowledge is discovered through reason.

Keywords

  • Allegory - a story where characters or events represent deeper ideas or messages

  • Forms - ideal concepts that reflect the true nature of things

  • Plato - an Ancient Greek philosopher known for his theory of the forms

  • Real / reality - something that actually exists and is not imagined

Common misconception

Students might think Plato believed we are born knowing everything.

Plato believed learning was a form of remembering knowledge hidden in us.

You could ask students to sketch the allegory of the cave, labelling the characters and what they learn.
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Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
The word 'philosophy' comes from Ancient Greek and means love of ...
Correct Answer: wisdom, Wisdom
Q2.
What is an argument in philosophy?
A statement expressing a personal opinion.
A debate where philosophers try to win a disagreement.
A summary of a philosophical idea.
Correct answer: A clear explanation of reasons to support a conclusion.
Q3.
Which two of the following statements are premises in the following argument: "All birds have wings, a sparrow is a bird, therefore a sparrow has wings."?
Correct answer: all birds have wings
a sparrow has wings
some birds can fly
Correct answer: a sparrow is a bird
Q4.
Socrates was known for asking to encourage deep thinking.
Correct Answer: questions, Questions, Socratic questions, Socratic Questions
Q5.
What do we mean by facts, opinions and beliefs?
Correct Answer:fact,A statement that can be proven true or false.

A statement that can be proven true or false.

Correct Answer:opinion,A viewpoint that can vary from person to person.

A viewpoint that can vary from person to person.

Correct Answer:belief,An acceptance that something is true without having proof.

An acceptance that something is true without having proof.

Q6.
Which of the following statements expresses a belief?
The earth orbits the sun.
Water boils at 100 degrees celsius.
Correct answer: People should be vegetarian.
Chocolate is the best flavour ice cream.

6 Questions

Q1.
In Plato's allegory, the prisoners are trapped in a ...
Correct Answer: cave, Cave
Q2.
What are most prisoners content to accept?
the truth of their existence
Correct answer: the shadows on the wall as reality
the idea of freedom
the possibility of escape
Q3.
The escaped prisoner who goes searching for the truth represents a ...
Correct Answer: philosopher, Philosopher
Q4.
What does Plato believe about where knowledge comes from?
He thought that knowledge comes from experience.
Correct answer: He believed we are born with knowledge.
He said knowledge comes from books.
He believed knowledge is learned by doing.
Q5.
According to Plato, what is the order of the steps we go through when we are learning?
1 - we experience the world
2 - we ask questions
3 - we think deeply
4 - we remember knowledge
Q6.
Plato founded his to create a space for learning and philosophical debate.
Correct Answer: Academy, academy

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