Plato argued

"According to Aristotle, everything was made of matter, shape, substance, and structure and the changes in them were the results of the organism trying to reach its potential. This potential was the part of the thing itself and every member of that species had the same potential. " (Great Courses Daily)

Plato argues that reality is invested its shape, purpose, substance, and meaning from the world of "ideas". There are things which are "copies" of others, which the further they get from the source, the more inaccurate, corrupted or broken they become.

Authenticity is a scale, and -according to Plato- we should seek the truer more authentic reality.

The question of the source of authenticity as a characteristic has been hotly debated. For Plato, the transcendent "form" or idea of thing gives it meaning, shape, and structure. For Aristotle, each thing has its own "form" but it is nonetheless a (more individual) idea or conception that informs the shape, structure and meaning of the thing.

The answer to this question is relevant to our application of things like political theory (capitalism, communism) as well as the, national policy ("true Canadians"), health and nutrition ("real ingredients", natural ingredients), economics and intellectual property.

Renee Descartes: (1596 – 1650)

Beginning with the Cogito (“I think therefore I am”) he sets out establishing what the universe consists of.

By questioning the foundations and experiences he has (skepticism), he builds a conception of the universe that requires two layers:

A "cognitive" realm which is mental and psychological illusory realm - and perhaps even spiritual

A physical and material realm

These views caused Descartes to articulate the view that human consciousness is driven by a "humunculus" or a "little person" who resides behind the eyes in the brain, which directs us - a "ghost in a machine"

Bishop Berkley, responding to Locke's views, and noting that they could logically turn into atheism.