4. Platonism

Question 1

Plato’s doctrine of the Divided Line:

Answer 1

Explain
- mind-independent/mind-dependent (metaphysics, epistemology)

• explain the four categories
  1. the world of forms
  2. sensible world
  3. knowledge
  4. opinion

Higher form, Mathematical Form, Sensible Things, Images of Things

Understanding, Reason, Perception, Images

Question 2

Plato’s distinction from Sophists (4)

Answer 2

1. Plato DOES NOT believe humans are the measure of all things
2. Plato DOES NOT believe that persuasion is the most valuable art
3. Plato DOES Not believe that ‘might makes right’
4. Plato believes that morality/justice is a real thing INDEPENDENT of what some people adamantly insist it is.

Question 3

Allegory of the Cave

Answer 3

Explain the concept:

“There is a reality out there that you’re not aware of! Don’t you want to get out of the cave!”

Question 4

Lessons from the Allegory of the Cave (2)

Answer 4

1. Enlightenment (education) involves risk
2. Knowledge depends on moral effort resulting in insight (it’s an achievement)

Question 5

Christian-Platonic Irony

Answer 5

We need “eyes” to see what can’t be seen.
- II Cor 4:18 “… we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.”

Question 6

Lesson from the Allegory of the Cave

Answer 6

Be cautious of people/groups who “know everything”

Question 7

Plato’s Alternative Account (Distinguish between the Republic and Theatetus)

Answer 7

1. Republic: some come to know and what the few know. (allegory of the cave, plato’s divided line)
2. Theaetetus: conceptual definition of what knowledge is, or “true opinion plus an account.”

Question 8

JTB (conceptual definition of knowledge)

Answer 8

Justified True Belief
(An opinion that is true)

Question 9

Epistemology

Answer 9

theories of knowledge “what is knowledge?

Question 10

Can you have false knowledge?

Answer 10

There is no such thing as false knowledge. That is like having a square circle. This is because knowledge is a justified TRUE belief. Thus, if one knows, they are holding a true belief, and false knowledge implies that the belief is false, which goes against the very definition of knowledge.

Question 11

Gettier’s Theory:

Answer 11

there are instances where justification can lead one astray, although one may arrive at the truth, they won’t arrive at the truth for the right reasons.

1. Knowledge must be reliably attained
2. The JTB account allows knowledge to be attained unreliably

Question 12

4th. condition

Answer 12

JTB+

1. P is true
2. S believes that P
3. S is justified in believing that P
4. Beliefs are only justified if the truth of the belief was the reason for the belief