Plato’s Doctrine on Colors: A Realist Interpretation

Abstract

Recent developments in the area of the metaphysics of color have led to a revision of the interpretation of Plato’s doctrine. Following this revisionist trend, I present a realist interpretation of his doctrine on colors and argue why it cannot be further specified as either physicalist or primitivist. This exegetic exercise allows the appraisal of the contemporary value of Plato’s doctrine on color. Incipient realist theories of color can now legitimately claim that the historical antecedent that they seem to lack can be found, precisely, in the platonic dialogues.