Ancient Philosophical Influences

Question 1

Where did Western philosophy begin?

Answer 1

Began in ancient Greece during the ‘Classical period’

Question 2

Who founded philosophy of today?

Answer 2

Socrates

Question 3

What is a philosophical argument?

Answer 3

It means a clear point of view with reason in favour of it and against it

Question 4

What are premises?

Answer 4

Steps towards an argument e.g step 1 step 2

Question 5

What is a Deductive argument?

Answer 5

The conclusion is guaranteed to be true. E.g

All men are mortal
Socrates is a man
Therefore, Socrates is mortal

Question 6

What is an Inductive argument?

Answer 6

Has a conclusion that is probable, not guaranteed

Question 7

What is Epistemology?

Answer 7

The study of knowledge

Question 8

What is knowledge?

Answer 8

Knowledge is an objective truth- same for all people

Question 9

What is belief?

Answer 9

Belief is subjective- based upon individual perspective

Question 10

What is A priori knowledge?

Answer 10

Knowledge without needing the senses

Question 11

What is A posteriori knowledge?

Answer 11

Knowledge is gained with the senses

Question 12

How do you gain knowledge according to plato?

Answer 12

Things must be fixed and certain

Question 13

What 2 types of worlds are there for plato

Answer 13

• World of appearances
• World of the Forms

Question 14

Why did Plato reject the physical world as a means of gaining knowledge?

Answer 14

• Spatial (dependent upon space for its existence)
• Temporal (subject to time)

Our senses cannot be trusted as it can create illusions

Question 15

What does the world of the forms contain

Answer 15

The forms

Question 16

What are the forms

Answer 16

They are Ideal, perfect, single versions of each different thing found on earth
They are eternal - perfect

Question 17

What are particulars

Answer 17

A specific object like a cake, spade or textbook

Question 18

What are concepts of qualities in relation to the forms

Answer 18

Things like beauty, mercy or justice

Question 19

What is the world of appearances

Answer 19

A shadow of the world of the forms

Question 20

According to plato, who is capable of genuine knowledge and why

Answer 20

A philosopher

This is because they will see the world as an example of something when the world of the forms contains the true knowledge

Question 21

What is the most important Form

Answer 21

The form of the good

Question 22

What is the form of the good

Answer 22

It is goodness itself.

It is the purest and the furthest away from the physical world. True knowledge is the form of the good

Question 23

If someone believes in the form of the good, how will they behave

Answer 23

In a good and moral way

Question 24

What is ignorance

Answer 24

The cause of immorality

The reason people lie e.g is because they are ignorant of the form of honesty

Question 25

What are the higher forms

Answer 25

2nd place to form of the good. They are concepts like justice and beauty

Question 26

What did Plato believe about the forms in relation to the world of appearances (proportion)

Answer 26

If something is true in the world of appearances, its even more true in the world of the forms

Question 27

Examples of proportion between world of appearances and world of the forms

Answer 27

In physical world: eyes to see. Sun to illuminate World of the forms: intellect to see (appreciate the forms). Form of the good to illuminate our understanding of forms

Question 28

What is actuality

Answer 28

What a thing is or does

Question 29

What is potentiality

Answer 29

What a thing can become- the ability for change

Question 30

Example of potentiality and actuality

Answer 30

The kettle is actually full of cold water but has the potential to be hot

Question 31

What does the 4 causes include

Answer 31

- Material cause - Efficient cause - Formal cause - Final cause

Question 32

What is the material cause

Answer 32

The material the substance is made of

Question 33

What is the Efficient cause

Answer 33

The process of something coming into existence E.g the efficient cause of a silver ring is the silversmith

Question 34

What is the formal cause

Answer 34

How we recognise something- shape, form, characteristics E.g the formal cause of a silver ring is the circular shape

Question 35

What is the final cause

Answer 35

The purpose of something E.g silver ring purpose is to look beautiful

Question 36

What is the prime mover

Answer 36

An entity that causes the 40th ring of stars to move without being moved itself (God). The prime mover is the cause of the universe itself and the final cause

Question 37

What is the final cause for humans according to Aristotle

Answer 37

The desire for the prime mover

Question 38

Plato form of the good characteristics

Answer 38

- Gives true, a priori knowledge - Highest form in the world of the forms - Eternal

Question 39

Characteristics of the prime mover

Answer 39

- Perfect - Necessary - Pure actuality (fully what it is to be God) - Supremely happy (contemplates itself) - impassive (not showing emotion)

Question 40

Similarities of Form of the good and prime moved

Answer 40

- Eternal - Transcendent - Unchanging - Perfect - Neither created the world or involved with the world

Question 41

Differences between Form of the good and prime mover

Answer 41

Form of the good is the AIM of everything; Prime mover is the PURPOSE of everything FOTG is in the ‘real world’ ; PM is in an orbit FOTG participates in our world ; PM doesn’t PM is conscious but FOTG might not be

Question 42

How does plato believe knowledge comes from

Answer 42

Using reason. Our souls contain knowledge of the forms and this material world doesn’t have true knowledge

Question 43

How does Aristolte believe knowledge comes from

Answer 43

Through the material world and our senses. Process of change can be explained by 4 causes