What does Socrates believe about the nature of art objects?

• A. Art objects represent things in this world and lack true reality.
• B. Art objects reveal divine truths about the forms.
• C. Art objects are more real than physical objects.
• D. Art objects are purely fictional constructs.

Answer: (A)

Socrates, in the Platonic view, treats art objects as appearances rather than real beings. He argues that the forms are the true realities, while what we see in the physical world are imperfect copies. Art objects, like paintings or sculptures, imitate those physical things, which themselves imitate the form. So art objects are two steps removed from reality and do not possess true reality in themselves they merely represent things in the world. They cannot reveal universal truths about the forms and aren’t more real than physical objects; they are not purely fictional creations either, since they still point to real objects, just imperfectly. This is why the idea that art objects represent things in this world and lack true reality best captures Socrates’ view.