Ancient Philosophical Influences

Question 1

Forms

Answer 1

a name Plato gave to Ideal concepts

Question 2

Reason

Answer 2

using logical steps and thought processes in order to reach conclusions

Question 3

Rationalist

Answer 3

someone who thinks the primary source of knowledge is reason

Question 4

Empiricist

Answer 4

someone who thinks the primary source of knowledge is gained through the 5 senses

Question 5

Prime mover

Answer 5

Aristotle’s concept of the ultimate cause of movement and change in the universe

Question 6

Aetion

Answer 6

an explanatory factor , a reason , cause for something

Question 7

Plato

Answer 7

Greek philosopher , rationalist , dualist who came from an aristocratic athenian family

Question 8

Theory of forms - origin

Answer 8

Plato noticed that the physical world was always changing - How could people attain true and certain knowledge ? He came to the conclusion that things in the world were in constant change thus can never be objects of complete true knowledge .. form of tree never changes and does not depend on physical circumstance for its existence

Question 9

Theory of forms

Answer 9

Plato believed that all the material things we experience in the world around us are imitations of their perfect form - We gain true knowledge through reason and we recognise things for what they are only bcs of our knowledge of their forms .

Question 10

Heraclitus

Answer 10

” You can never step into the same rive twice”

Question 11

Forms continued e.g Justice

Answer 11

When we see someone doing an act of justice we recognise it as justice bcs we know what true justice really is as a concept .

Question 12

Forms continued e.g Circles

Answer 12

we see things which are circular such as plates , clocks , wheels , we even draw circles in maths lessons but they will never be perfect circles however our mental concept of a circle is perfect but when translated in the the physical world it loses some of its perfections

Question 13

More on the forms

Answer 13

Plato decided that we had some intuitions about the forms e.g beauty and it must be because we experienced them thus we have immortal souls and must have lived in the realm of forms before being born into the physical world .

Question 14

The form of the Good

Answer 14

The most important of all forms - it illuminates all of the other forms and gives them their value and the rest of our knowledge . Goodness is seen as the purest , most abstract of the forms

Question 15

Demiurge

Answer 15

Plato believed the world was created by a god he called the Demiurge - he made the world with that material already present , he tries to make the universe as good as he can but is limited and so the final result is not perfect but the best it could be . As the world is physical and so can be changed . The deimurge isnt the epitome of goodness but he is still good.

Question 16

Plato evaluation

Answer 16

Richard Dawkins - it is nonsense to talk of an other world beyond the physical - the world may be changing but we can still study it with all its changes and processes and gain true and valuable knowledge .

Question 17

Analogy of Cave

Answer 17

In the cave there are prisoners , they are chained in such a way that they can only face one direction , and sat facing the back wall of the cave , the only light available comes from a fire behind them . People go along the low wall carrying different objects as they pass the fire the shadows of the objects are reflected so the prisoners can see … however the reflection does not show the true nature of the objects similarly the voices they hear are echoes .. then the prisoners are released and a prisoner is shocked to find the truth ..things are not as they seem he does not want to accept this and runs back to fire but soon his eyes will become accustomed to light .. and will leave

Question 18

Plato evaluation

Answer 18

Aristotle says the theory of forms is ridiculous when pushed to logical extremities it is hard to accept there may be ideal forms of negative qualities like jealousy or spite

Question 19

Plato evaluation

Answer 19

another problem with the theory of forms can be seen if we use the example of plants in which case what would it be ? would it have small or big leaves ? coloured flowers ? a scent? Even if each species has a different form there are still variations within the species.

Question 20

Plato evaluation

Answer 20

could be argued that plato concentrated on the forms of qualities , he himself is ambiguous about if there is a form for everything

Question 21

plato evaluation

Answer 21

does not have scientific evidence to support it . if they are so necessary for true knowledge why does no one study them or why do we not we have access to it

Question 22

Plato evaluation

Answer 22

A.j Ayer argues when talking about something being good or bad we simply express our own emotional reaction to it and so it does not refer to any real knowledge . Furthermore goodness cant be a singular form it has to be related to specific actions etc

Question 23

Plato evaluation

Answer 23

The Third Man Argument (TMA) purports to show that if there is even one form of F, there are infinitely many forms of F; if, for example, there is even one form of man, there are infinitely many forms of man.

Question 24

Aristotle

Answer 24

empiricist and founder of many sciences we recognise today : physics , biology , psychology , meteorology , astronomy ,one of plato’s brightest students at the academy and came from well off macedonian family.

Question 25

Rejection of WOF

Answer 25

For Aristotle the journey to knowledge begins here and must be gained through observation of the world around us he believed ideas could have no real existence on their own

Question 26

Aristotles understanding of reality

Answer 26

Aetion was the term used by aristotle when thinking of why changes occur and the question of cause he was fascinated by this . He determined cause could be understood in 4 ways

Question 27

The Material Cause

Answer 27

the first cause , this explains what something is made from… its material.

Question 28

The Formal cause

Answer 28

the second , this is the the form , shape that something has . the formal cause gives something its shape and allows it to be identified as whatever it is

Question 29

The efficient cause

Answer 29

the third , the activity that makes something happen e.g the efficient cause of a desk is a carpenter , the efficient cause brings about the change in something

Question 30

The final cause

Answer 30

the final and most important , the final cause of something is its purpose and its reason for existing at all . this can be understood as Telos.

Question 31

More on Telos

Answer 31

for aristotle something was good when it fulfilled its telos e.g an axe is a good axe if it cuts well

Question 32

Prime mover

Answer 32

aristotle like many others realised the universe was in constant change and motion , therefore he thought there must be some kind of efficent cause someone or something performing some kind of action to make all this change and motion happen. He rejected that there must be endless cause and effect as it wasnt satisfactory.

Question 33

More on Prime mover

Answer 33

the cause of the universe aristotle thought must be God . God must be the prime mover , a cause which actualises the potential in everything else . But the prime mover must be something that causes without being affected otherwise it would be an endless chain.

Question 34

More on Prime mover

Answer 34

The prime mover causes change and motion by attracting things towards itself - it does nothing but is the object of everything . The final cause of movement is a desire for God . Everything in the universe is drawn to God’s perfection and thus wants to imitate it and so by this great attraction the PM causes movement in everything else.

Question 35

Nature of the Prime mover

Answer 35

1. doesnt depend on anything else for its existence
2. eternal
3. perfectly good
4. immaterial and beyond time and space
   5.final cause of everything

Question 36

Evaluation - aristotle

Answer 36

A rejects platos belief in another world yet believes in a prime mover

Question 37

Evaluation

Answer 37

A’s belief in telos has been critised by many e.g Russell .They claim it makes no sense for the universe to have a purpose it just exsists and that is all there is nothing a universe is supposed to do.

Question 38

Aristotle Evaluation

Answer 38

Theists reject the version of God A presents they argue his God is irrelevant to humans and the universe it has no interaction and unaffected by it

Question 39

FOG VS PM

Answer 39

FOG + PM give an answer to the question on why anything exists at all . FOG - illuminates everything else , physical things imitate the forms similarly the PM is seen as the primary cause of everything the reason why things are in motion

Question 40

FOG VS PM

Answer 40

FOG+ PM have a necessary existence they depend on nothing else for their own existence .

Question 41

FOG VS PM

Answer 41

nether FOG + PM have interest in moral affairs of humanity . The PM has no interest in anything and cant interact with the world otherwise would be affected

Question 42

FOG VS PM

Answer 42

FOG is not a being with a mind , it has no intentions or emotions it has no activity it is solely goodness whilst the PM draws things itself making them move and change and can think

Question 43

Platos Rationalism VS Aristotles empiricism

Answer 43

Rationalism presents us with the view that reason is the ultimate way to gain knowledge . Plato advocates rationalism as the world is on constant change and cant give us certain knowledge . Rationalist argue that reason is superior as our senses can mislead us e.g pencil in water

Question 44

R VS E

Answer 44

A’s empricism is an example that all our knowledge is experience . we encounter the world through our senses first and then we use these sense experiences to form our concepts. Empircists may argue experience is superior to reason bcs reason is limited unless it has sense experience to provide it with information . e.g weather and whether to take clothes drying outside - you need to look .

Question 45

R VS E

Answer 45

many ppl argue there is no need to choose btw the 2 we can use both together in some areas of knowledge reason is more important e.g maths and in other areas empircism is more needed eg. science