Which of the following are Plato’s main objections against poetry?
[A] The poet is an imitator.
[B] The poet is incapable of bravery.
[C] The poet, by fueling passions and emotions, weakens the reasoning capacity of the citizens.
[D] The poet is less responsible
[E] The poet has no knowledge of the world.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

The correct answer is A, C and E only.

Plato's objections to poetry are primarily detailed in his philosophical work, The Republic (specifically Books III and X). His critiques can be understood through his theory of art, psychology, and epistemology:

1. The poet is an imitator (Statement A): According to Plato's Theory of Mimesis (imitation), the physical world is merely a shadow or copy of the perfect world of Ideas (Forms). Since a poet creates works by copying things in the physical world, poetry is an imitation of an imitation, making it "thrice removed from reality" and far from the truth.

2. The poet weakens the reasoning capacity by fueling passions (Statement C): Plato believed that the human soul is divided into rational and irrational/emotional parts. He argued that poetry appeals to the lower, irrational part of the soul by magnifying passions, grief, desire, and anger. By feeding these emotions, poetry weakens the intellect and the rational control necessary for virtuous citizens in an ideal state.

3. The poet has no real knowledge of the world (Statement E): Plato argued that poets write about various subjects—such as warfare, statecraft, medicine, and virtue—without possessing actual, systematic knowledge or expertise in those fields. A poet only represents the appearance of these things, not their true essence or practical utility.

On the other hand, statements [B] (The poet is incapable of bravery) and [D] (The poet is less responsible) are not part of Plato's systematic philosophical objections against poetry.