Ancient Influences

Question 1

Aristotle’s understanding of reality

Answer 1

• We learn about reality through observation of the physical world
• If anything other than this physical world exists, we have no way of knowing about it
• Reality can be explained in four different ways - the four causes - which account for an explain the phenomena of the physical world around us

Question 2

Four causes

Answer 2

Material:

Explains what something is made from

Formal:

Explains what shae something takes, or what is identifying features are

Efficient:

Explains the activity that makes something happen. It brings about change and ‘actualises potential’ turning something from what it could be into what it is

Final:

Somethings purpose, or reason for existing at all Aristotle used the term ‘telos’ or ‘end’. He thought something was good if it achieved or fulfilled its telos

Question 3

Aristotle and the prime mover

Answer 3

Aristotle thought there must be some kind of Prime Mover (or Unmoved Mover) to account for the fact that everything in the physical world is changing

The Prime Mover is the first of all substances an depends on nothing else for existence - it exists necessarily

It is transcendent and the ultimate reason (telos) for everything: the Prime Mover is the final cause of the universe

Question 4

Criticisms: Aristotle

Answer 4

Russell and Dawkins:

Reject the view that the universe has a telos. They argue that it just exists, without any explanation or purpose

Question 5

How Plato and Aristotle differ

Answer 5

Plato relies on reason and believed that the most important aspect of reality lay beyond this world

Aristotle relies on empirical knowledge and believed the most important thing to do was gain understanding of the world

Question 6

analogy of the cave

Answer 6

imagine a group of prisoners chained in an underground cave. all they can see is their shadows from the fire, they believe only they exist. if one prisoner saw the outside world and returned to try and explain he would not be believed

Question 7

Key messages of the cave

Answer 7

metaphysics: plato’s views on metaphysics is that this is not the real world and that the real world is an unchanging world of Forms
epistemology: plato’s believe that knowledge is gained through the mind (a priori) not the senses

Question 8

Plato’s forms

Answer 8

name plato gives to ideal concepts that exist in reality

Question 9

forms and their particulars

Answer 9

many different objects in the world

objects which are imperfect imitations of the Form, are called Particulars.

may have the quality of beauty but none of them are beauty itself

Question 10

The Form of Good

Answer 10

ultimate Form

perfection of the Forms comes form the Form of the Good