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.
four causes not true picture reality
no material cause of a colour or concept.plato true knowledge comes wotf non physical. recognise form of beauty in physical things.
hume-able to observe cause and effect but effect not necessarily result of cause simply both were observed.
how do we know what characteristics essential to an object to make it what it is. car formal cause; engine, wheels or combo of factors.
purpose
not have to be intrinsic- given to object by creator, human construct
many purposes, purposes change
some don’t have purpose- the appendix
Aristotle explan for change
- Aristotle thought universe eternal
-universe series concentric circles with planets and sun rotating around earth
-like continous rotations of planets things within the world have continuous motus; actuality to potentiality to actuality - this movement results in change as drawn towards final cause.
prime mover
-reason continuous change is ultimate final cause , immutable prime mover
-final cause of movement because draws things towards itself without doing anything itself
- cat and milk, milk doesn’t change but attracts cat causing cat to move towards it
-the final cause for everything in world is desire for prime mover
-this attraction causes move potentiality, actuality, potentiality again like concentric circles
-pure actuality, no potential to change, absolute goodness.
-cant know existence of physical world could cause reaction/ change so must only contemplate itself, perfection
prime mover helps explain world
we observe natural things have telos and drawn towards end purpose.acorn drawn to purpose becoming tree/ squirrel food.pm explains why motus occurs cuz draws/attracts everything
pm explains why perpetual motion, why planets move predictable rotations and no beginning universe.pm is pure actuality attracts all things to its perfection.
pm as final cause gives everything a purpose
prime mover not help explain world
observation of purpose human construct, give things purpose so extrinsic to object. if no external purpose discredit reason for motus no need final cause
if pm pure thought, thinking ab though how connection with physical universe if affects/moves it
can’t observe pm with senses. moved into rationalism, using reason so subject same criticisms as plato.
FOTG
-highest
-participates in all forms why its good
-ult aim - know and understand
-enlighten mind-help use reason
- allows form to be seen and known thru reason
- understand good recollecting wotf
similarities fog and pm
transcendent know thru reason
eternal, immutable and perf
pm telos everything, fog aim of everything
differences
motus;
-pm attracts and draws things to itself - final cause
- fog immutable and part wotf, wow changes cuz imitating forms
location:
- pm part material universe in an orbit beyond planets
-fotg in real world wotf not in this world
involvement
-pmno Connection w things in this world
-fotg participates in all forms which we recognise in things in woa.
FOG BETTER PM
explains change woa. change and decay but participate in wotf and fog immutable.
pm can’t observe sense. fog not part this world, need reason
explains recognise goodness diff and vary amount.
PM BETTER FOG
explains change
based sense exp and final cause
not clear how fog participates.pm not interact pure actuality draw things to itself and pure thought.
epistemology
study of lang
reason better a01
-senses decieve
-senses chain us woa
-senses prevent reason wotf
-rationalistm and recollection wotf
-knowledge eternal can’t be found material world senses
empiricism better a01
- true knowledge observe and categorise type and difference
-contained form/matter. motus explained 4 causes.
-reason pm
-observe motus work out need pm
empiricism better a03
no emp ev another world, rely senses find more ab reality
nothing in the mind that wasn’t first in senses-reason after sense lamp
knowledge not innate-learning not remembering, learn from exp
rationalism better A03
sense justice/beauty innate just know something unfair before learn it
sense deceive reason reliable
knowledge wotf, remember form of heat recognise lamp hot
