--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: According to Plato, a hierarchy of being…" description: "\"“According to Plato, a hierarchy of being and a hierarchy of knowledge exist, knowledge of ideas rests at the top, while at the bottom lies knowledge o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/342/tom-sedl-ek-102063_quote_according-to-plato-a-hierarchy-of-being_579113.jpg" --- # According to Plato, a hierarchy of being and a hierarchy… ![“According to Plato, a hierarchy of being and a hierarchy of knowledge exist, knowledge of ideas rests at the top, while at the bottom lies knowledge of trickery, illusions, shadows dancing on cave walls. By the way, mathematical knowledge is not in the highest position; philosophical knowledge is…” quote by Tomáš Sedláček](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/342/tom-sedl-ek-102063_quote_according-to-plato-a-hierarchy-of-being_579113.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/342/tom-sedl-ek-102063_quote_according-to-plato-a-hierarchy-of-being_579113.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/342/tom-sedl-ek-102063_quote_according-to-plato-a-hierarchy-of-being_579113.jpg) > ““According to Plato, a hierarchy of being and a hierarchy of knowledge exist, knowledge of ideas rests at the top, while at the bottom lies knowledge of trickery, illusions, shadows dancing on cave walls. By the way, mathematical knowledge is not in the highest position; philosophical knowledge is. Mathematics can’t describe the whole truth—even if we were to describe the entire world in precise mathematical equations, we would not have full knowledge.”” Tomáš Sedláček ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Plato’s hierarchy places philosophical knowledge above mathematical, suggesting math cannot capture full truth. **In simple terms:** Philosophy outranks math in understanding reality. Key Takeaway Value philosophical insight alongside scientific methods. Themes philosophy knowledge hierarchy science truth Mood inquisitive reflective Type academic philosophical When to use this quote - academic discussion - education - critical thinking Key Concepts epistemology metaphysics limitations of mathematics Questions to Reflect On - What are the limits of mathematical models? - How does philosophy address those gaps? A Different Perspective Philosophical and mathematical knowledge can complement each other. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) ## Related quotes > [Philosophical knowledge is the knowledge gained by reason from concepts ; mathematical knowledge is the knowledge gained by reason from the construction of concepts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/philosophical-knowledge-is-the-knowledge-gained-by-reason-from/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [The bureaucracy is a circle from which no one can escape. Its hierarchy is a hierarchy of knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-bureaucracy-is-a-circle-from-which-no-one-can-escape-its/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The bureaucracy is a circle from which one cannot escape. Its hierarchy is a hierarchy of knowledge. The top entrusts the understanding of detail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/the-bureaucracy-is-a-circle-from-which-one-cannot-escape-its/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [Man cannot be enlightened through any organization, creed, dogma, priest or ritual, nor through any philosophical knowledge or psychological technique. He has to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/man-cannot-be-enlightened-through-any-organization-creed-dogma-priest/) [Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/) > [ \[Mathematics\] is security. Certainty. Truth. Beauty. Insight. Structure. Architecture. I see mathematics, the part of human knowledge that I call mathematics, as one thing-one… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/mathematics-is-security-certainty-truth-beauty-insight-structure/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For the things of this world cannot be made known without a knowledge of mathematics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bacon/for-the-things-of-this-world-cannot-be-made-known-without-a-knowledge/) [Roger Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bacon/) > [If in other sciences we should arrive at certainty without doubt and truth without error, it behooves us to place the foundation of knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bacon/if-in-other-sciences-we-should-arrive-at-certainty-without-doubt-and/) [Roger Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bacon/) > [ \[I\]f in other sciences we should arrive at certainty without doubt and truth without error, it behooves us to place the foundations of knowledge… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bacon/i-f-in-other-sciences-we-should-arrive-at-certainty-without-doubt-and/) [Roger Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bacon/) > [“If mathematical knowledge is to have legitimacy, the mind must passively discover it (R5) without affecting it in any way; “mere delusion” results from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-braver/if-mathematical-knowledge-is-to-have-legitimacy-the-mind-must/) [Lee Braver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-braver/) > [... mathematical knowledge ... is, in fact, merely verbal knowledge. "3" means "2+1", and "4" means "3+1". Hence it follows (though the proof is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/mathematical-knowledge-is-in-fact-merely-verbal-knowledge-3-means-2-1/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Mathematical knowledge is not-as all Cambridge men are surely aware-the result of any special gift. It is merely the development of those conceptions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/mathematical-knowledge-is-not-as-all-cambridge-men-are-surely-aware/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [It is with children that we have the best chance of studying the development of logical knowledge, mathematical knowledge, physical knowledge, and so forth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/it-is-with-children-that-we-have-the-best-chance-of-studying-the/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [Mathematical Knowledge adds a manly Vigour to the Mind, frees it from Prejudice, Credulity, and Superstition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/mathematical-knowledge-adds-a-manly-vigour-to-the-mind-frees-it-from/) [John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/) Rabelaise ## More by Tomáš Sedláček > [“The best -- or chasing it -- is the worst enemy of the good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-sedl-ek/the-best-or-chasing-it-is-the-worst-enemy-of-the-good/) Tomáš Sedláček Explore all 2 Tomáš Sedláček quotes ## More Knowledge quotes > [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/) Rabelaise > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-interfere-with-our-thought-but-will-act-entirely-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [An enlightened awareness is within each one of us, right at this moment. This enlightened awareness is truly unborn and marvellously illuminating; and everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bankei-yotaku/an-enlightened-awareness-is-within-each-one-of-us-right-at-this/) [Bankei Yotaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bankei-yotaku/) > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I never knew any man who had once tasted the sweetness of experimental knowledge, that ever afterward fasted after ye Vapour garlick and onions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-zimmer/i-never-knew-any-man-who-had-once-tasted-the-sweetness-of/) [Carl Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-zimmer/) > [I would rather excel others in the knowledge of what is excellent than in the extent of my powers and dominion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/i-would-rather-excel-others-in-the-knowledge-of-what-is-excellent/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [We know accurately only when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-know-accurately-only-when-we-know-little-with-knowledge-doubt/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [I am an aware citizen, so I want my characters to be aware, too. They should be aware of what's happening in the society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-tripathi/i-am-an-aware-citizen-so-i-want-my-characters-to-be-aware-too-they/) [Pankaj Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-tripathi/) > [Technology means the systematic application of scientific or other organized knowledge to practical tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/technology-means-the-systematic-application-of-scientific-or-other/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Love is a vision,love carry our vision,and love by-step our vision. we carry our love to our by-step. once love is vision love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-a-vision-love-carry-our-vision-and-love-by-step-our-vision-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Man is an ignoramus athirst for knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wagner/man-is-an-ignoramus-athirst-for-knowledge/) [Charles Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wagner/) [Browse all 13,227 Knowledge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“According to Plato, a hierarchy of being and a hierarchy of knowledge exist, knowledge of ideas rests at the top, while at the bottom lies knowledge of trickery, illusions, shadows dancing on cave walls. By the way, mathematical knowledge is not in the highest position; philosophical knowledge is. Mathematics can’t describe the whole truth—even if we were to describe the entire world in precise mathematical equations, we would not have full knowledge.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tomáš Sedláček" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-sedl-ek/according-to-plato-a-hierarchy-of-being-and-a-hierarchy-of-knowledge/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Knowledge" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-sedl-ek/according-to-plato-a-hierarchy-of-being-and-a-hierarchy-of-knowledge/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/342/tom-sedl-ek-102063_quote_according-to-plato-a-hierarchy-of-being_579113.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/342/tom-sedl-ek-102063_quote_according-to-plato-a-hierarchy-of-being_579113.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/342/tom-sedl-ek-102063_quote_according-to-plato-a-hierarchy-of-being_579113.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“According to Plato, a hierarchy of being and a hierarchy of knowledge exist, knowledge of ideas rests at the…” — Tomáš Sedláček", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tomáš Sedláček", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-sedl-ek/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“According to Plato, a hierarchy of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-sedl-ek/according-to-plato-a-hierarchy-of-being-and-a-hierarchy-of-knowledge/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-sedl-ek/according-to-plato-a-hierarchy-of-being-and-a-hierarchy-of-knowledge/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```