ˈplāt ə nˌizəm noun
( -s )
Etymology: New Latin platonismus, from Latin platon-, Platon, Plato Plato died 347 B.C. Greek philosopher (from Greek Platōn ) + -ismus -ism
1. usually capitalized : the philosophy of Plato stressing that ultimate reality consists of transcendent eternal universals which are the true objects of knowledge, that knowledge consists of reminiscence of these universals under the stimulus of sense perception, that objects of sense are not completely real but participate in the reality of the ideas, that man has a tripartite preexistent and immortal soul consisting of the appetitive functions, the spirited functions, and the intellect, and that the ideal state is aristocratic and made up of the three classes of artisans, soldiers, and philosopher-rulers — compare form , idealism
2. usually capitalized
a. : the philosophic tradition established by Plato and extending through the Academy to the Alexandrian School and Plotinus — compare neoplatonism
b. : any later revival of this tradition: as
(1) : one during the Renaissance in Florence
(2) : one in the 17th century in Cambridge University — compare cambridge platonist
c. : a particular formulation within the Platonic tradition
3. sometimes capitalized
a. : a tenet of Platonic philosophy : a platonic saying
platonisms of poets
b. : any expression of idealism
platonism in the poetry of Shelley
4. sometimes capitalized : the doctrine or practice of platonic love
5. sometimes capitalized : a logical or mathematical theory incorporating within its language names for such abstract or higher level entities as classes — contrasted with nominalism ; called also terminological platonism