ANCIENT GREEKS Flashcards
stages of the analogy of the cave part 1
- prisoners chained, facing wall, can’t move heads, dark cave. fire behind them cast shadows on the wall which they believe to be real.
- cave presents material world, live in lesser world rely on senses. what believe real just shadows of real objects.
3.prisoner released forced out cave and into sunlight, difficult journey. once eyes adjust new world and sun see truth of real world draw true conclusions.
4.like philosopher using reason difficult but worth it, understand truth.
- prisoner realise how much better this world is , can see 3 dimensional shapes illuminated by sun rather flat grey shadows of objects.
Stages analogy of cave part 2
- Sun highest form= form of the good.illuminates all other forms, enables forms to be known thru reason.
7.world outside cave superior to inside. reason superior senses
- return to cave unable to see, other prisoners ridicule him and threaten to kill anyone set them free.
9.reference socrates. executed corrupting minds youth encourage challenge reason. how reluctant ppl are to Suisse reason above senses.
purpose of analogy of cave?
ppl don’t understand reality cuz rely senses. Rationalism good.
cave world of appearances outside cave world of the forms.
Rationalism
knowledge is gained through reason
Analogy of the cave is useful ? Agree
- senses decieve us (PENCIL BEND WATER). prisoners demonstrate what we exp only partial of reality, shadows inferior to outside cave . reality only accessible philosophers use reason. come out cave things as really are.
2.senses can trap us, chained prisoners won’t listen to insight returned prisoner. close minded. better use reason and be open new ideas.
3.relying on reason is like becoming philosopher journey difficult like cave worth it.
Analogy of cave not useful
- Our senses help us work out what to do and to survive. see blood feel pain realise I’ve cut finger need to stop getting infected
2.not everyone can be philosopher, plato elitist view on aoc cuz want philosophers to rule.need practical design making and observation to make advances not just think ab issues.
3.too abstract relate wotf.modern ppl place more importance world we exp here and now thru senses.
WOA
our world
consist physical objects exp thru senses
constantly changing, impermanence, change, decay and die-so no true reality only opinions
like shadows- illusion being real only poor imitation reality
objects we exp are particulars- a poor reflection of its perfect form in wotf.
we disagree ab whats beautiful as our opinions are based on senses which change over time.
WOTF
perf, eternal and immutable forms
real world, reality doesn’t change
understood thru reason
our knowledge is a priori - recollection perf forms.
can recognise if something isn’t perfect eyes too close together as remember form of beauty.
concepts; beauty, justice, equality or mathematical formula don’t change but their appearance of them in material world do.
Amnesis
we have immortal souls because our souls remember forms from wotf because our soul visited there before being incarnated in our body. Socrates uneducated slave boy solved maths problem using pythagorus theorem, his soul must have remembered this knowledge from wotf.
Theory of forms make sense
everything in woa decay change die, nothing permanent perfect.makes sense world perf, eternal and immutable.
wotf contains ideal/forms. beauty/ justice these concepts don’t change. we recognise beauty in diff things puppy, sunset and flower because they participate in form of beauty some extent . may disagree on what is beautiful cuz we form opinions based on exp rather reason.
deceived by sense better rely reason understand how things really are.
Theory of forms don’t make sense
change better immutability important part of world without is we could not progress or mature.
if one form of good why disagree on what goodness is? concepts like beauty can’t be separated beautiful things
Aristotle 3rd man arg-not clear how theory refers to specific physical items. different forms for diff breeds for dog or one original concept for dog. surly recognise breed came closest to ideal. yet humans desire variety -forms for each desirable attribute , at what point do forms stop being universal and become little meaning.
concept of a perfect circle doesn’t mean a perfect circle really exsists/exsist in another world. these concepts help us make sense reality only exist realm of lang.
hierarchy forms
form of good
form justice/beauty/equality
abstract ideas- bed,tree,horse
mathematical reasoning
woa; material objects, opinions based senses
empiricism
all knowledge and truth is derived from senses, observations and experiences.
four causes
material cause=matter or substance that something is made from. matter of ring is silver
efficient cause=describes the process of coming into existence.efficent cause ring is silversmith who used matter to make a ring
formal cause= shapes and characteristics , describes how we know what something is
final cause = telos/ purpose. ring may have a purpose of commitment between two ppl. good if fulfil purpose.
four causes true picture reality
material cause obvs. in order to exist and be observed all things must be made of physical matter. useful basis for our knowledge
efficient cause explains process lotus from potentially to actuality. lump metal potential to be ring silversmith act on it
formal cause helps us understand what gives something its shape and c characteristics. bird clucks and pecks help identify chicken. if chicken died form changes, matter same.
final cause explains why everything has a purpose. answers questions about why world or objects are as they are.
