Plato and the necessity of visualization
An attempt has been made in the article to elucidate the specificity of Plato's visual metaphors and methods. His attitude to visuality rather differs from that of his predecessors and even successors who emphasize the priority of hearing over all other senses and do not consider plastic arts to be patronized by Muses. The importance of the role that vision and visually percepted objects play in the whole ontological and epistemological system allows us to reconsider the standard image of Plato as a thinker strictly committed to the sphere of eternal, immutable and unknowable Forms in favor of philosopher who wholly understands the value of the sensible world not only for pedagogical purposes, but also in process of cognition. The material world appeared to be a necessary step in the ascent to the noetic sphere, and not detached from the latter.