MIMESIS OF THE TRACE IN PLATO, PLOTINUS AND ARISTOTLE

The essay deals with a motive of trace in the philosophy of Plato, Plotin and Aristotle. In Plato's 'Theeatetus' trace-as typos, an imprint, ichnos, a remnant, and semeion, a sign-serves as a base to construct a theory of memory. Thanks to the traces left in memory a thing once seen or experienced can appear again in human consciousness as perfect image, similitude. In Plotin's 'Enneads' trace is suppressed in the name of the full transparency of Idea and being. Aristotle very often uses a term 'akolutheo' (to follow someone's traces) to stress a priority of ethical aspects of representation or imitation.