Plato - who has rightly been called the Father of Modern Philosophy had some very useful ideas on thinking and truth which are as applicable today as they were in his time (4th Century BCE).
He separated four distinct categories of knowledge.
The lowest is the perception of appearances - which he called Eikasia. This is knowledge which is obtained directly by the senses, like shape, colour and texture.
The next level is that of opinion, which Plato called Pistis of belief. This embraces our knowledge of material objects. When the mind is operating at this level it takes things at 'face value'. The evidence of instincts and the senses are seen as 'true'.
Real knowledge, meaning an understanding of reality rather than partial truths, is knowledge of what Plato called the Intelligible. This is the abstract realm of causes and entirely above the material realm as such. There are two aspects to this just as there are two aspects to the material realm (Eikasia and Pistis).
The level of relatively universal ideas Plato called Dianoia. This is the realm of Reason as such. (Reason is capitalised here as it is seen as a Divine gift.) Reason can deal with the material realm but it does so, as it were, from above; it sees things in terms of their real abstract causes.
The highest level of what can be known, Plato called Noesis. Here the Intuition operates and grasps ideas directly. The Truth is seen through direct contact. At this level there is no doubt because this is entirely above any process of reasoning or estimation. The Ideas touched are Pure and Universal and are seen intuitively in their relation to everything else.
The Platonic use of the term 'Intuition' is different to its current day usage - where it means virtually the same as instinct. In Plato's theory we are dealing with a unitive visive power of the Soul, that 'sees' truth it its wholeness.
How does this relate to Truth and Myth?
When myths are considered from the lowest two levels then they appear as fables and tales merely for children (or those with childish minds), for they clearly are far too fantastical or outrageous to be true. However, myth approached with the higher faculties reveals profound spiritual truths. These are the truths that are considered as obvious and yet 'veiled'. The veil is drawn if they are considered from a consciousness entirely chained to the material realm, that suggests only the material is real. Such a viewpoint sees the explanation of everything, including consciousness, as arising from the material realm. Plato (and others who have effectively exercised Noesis knew this was not so.)
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