\Pla"to*nism\, n. [Cf. F. Platonisme.]
1. The doctrines or philosophy by Plato or of his followers.
Note: Plato believed God to be an infinitely wise, just, and
      powerful Spirit; and also that he formed the visible
      universe out of pre["e]xistent amorphous matter,
      according to perfect patterns of ideas eternally
      existent in his own mind. Philosophy he considered as
      being a knowledge of the true nature of things, as
      discoverable in those eternal ideas after which all
      things were fashioned. In other words, it is the
      knowledge of what is eternal, exists necessarily, and
      is unchangeable; not of the temporary, the dependent,
      and changeable; and of course it is not obtained
      through the senses; neither is it the product of the
      understanding, which concerns itself only with the
      variable and transitory; nor is it the result of
      experience and observation; but it is the product of
      our reason, which, as partaking of the divine nature,
      has innate ideas resembling the eternal ideas of God.
      By contemplating these innate ideas, reasoning about
      them, and comparing them with their copies in the
      visible universe, reason can attain that true knowledge
      of things which is called philosophy. Plato's professed
      followers, the Academics, and the New Platonists,
      differed considerably from him, yet are called
      Platonists. --Murdock.
2. An elevated rational and ethical conception of the laws
   and forces of the universe; sometimes, imaginative or
   fantastic philosophical notions.