Chapter 1- Ancient philosophical influences

Question 1

What did Plato use the analogy of the cave to explain?

Answer 1

Plato used the analogy of the cave to explain that most of us do not understand reality because we rely on our senses (deceived).

Question 2

What is Plato’s belief on reality?

Answer 2

Plato believes that it is more important to rely on reason, which is called rationalism.

Question 3

What is rationalism?

Answer 3

rationalism- human reason is the source of all knowledge and truth

Question 4

What does the cave represent in Plato’s analogy of the cave?

Answer 4

The cave represents our material world, the prisoners are trapped in this lesser world, using only their senses.

Question 5

In the analogy of the cave, what do the prisoners believe is real?

Answer 5

What the prisoners think is real is are only shadows of real objects. The prisoners are being deceived by their senses.

Question 6

What happens when one of the prisoners is released and forced into the difficult journey out of the cave, past the fire and into the sunlight?

Answer 6

Only when his eyes have adjusted to this new world, and the light of the sun, does he begin to see the truth of the real world outside the cave.

Question 7

What happens when the released prisoner sees the world outside the cave?

Answer 7

The released prisoner realises how much better it is. He can understand truth and reality.

Question 8

What can the released prisoner now see?

Answer 8

He can now see three-dimensional shapes in colour, illuminated by the sun, rather than flat, grey shadows of objects.

Question 9

What is the sun like in the analogy of the cave?

Answer 9

The sun is like the highest of all the forms, the form of the good.

Question 10

What is the significance of the form of the good?

Answer 10

It is the form of the good that illuminates all the other forms - it enables the forms to be know through reason.

Question 11

What is Plato suggesting through his analogy of the cave?

Answer 11

Just as the world outside the cave is superior to being inside the cave, Plato is suggesting that using reason is superior to and more reliable than using the senses.

Question 12

If the released prisoner returns to the cave, he will not be able to see well in the semi-darkness any more. What else would happen?

Answer 12

The prisoners would ridicule him and threaten to kill anyone who tries to release them.

Question 13

What does the analogy of the cave show about our senses?

Answer 13

Shows that our senses deceive us, our senses can trap us like the chained prisoner

Question 14

what is meant by particulars or phenomena?

Answer 14

The changing (mutable) things we witness in the world of the senses

Question 15

what does immutable mean?

Answer 15

unchanging

Question 16

what is meant by anamnesis?

Answer 16

the soul remembering the forms

Question 17

what does the prisoners struggle out of the cave show us?

Answer 17

That relying on reason is like becoming a philosopher - the journey is difficult, like the prisoners journey, but it is worth it

Question 18

What are two reasons as to why the analogy of the cave is not useful today?

Answer 18

1) Relying on our senses is important- we use are senses to figure out what the world is like and to survive e.g if i see blood and feel pain i know i am hurt and need to fix it.
2) Not everyone can be a philosopher - Plato has an elitist view in the analogy of the cave because he wants philosophers to rule but we also need practical problem solving.

Question 19

What is empiricism?

Answer 19

All knowledge and truth are derived from senses, experiences and observations.

Question 20

what is teleology?

Answer 20

The study of purpose

Question 20

What is meant by the term Motus ?

Answer 20

Greek word meaning constant change, observed in the world

Question 20

What is meant by the word Telos?

Answer 20

Greek word meaning end or purpose

Question 21

what is the significant painting by Raphael, and what does it show?

Answer 21

the school of Athens - Plato pointing upward and Aristotle with his hand and book toward the ground

Question 22

What were Aristotle’s four causes which describe the process of change?

Answer 22

The material cause, The efficient cause, The formal cause and The final cause (MEFF)

Question 23

what is an objects material cause?

Answer 23

What is it made of? The matter or substance something is made from

Question 24

What is an objects efficient cause?

Answer 24

How did it come into existence? The process of coming into existence

Question 25

What is an objects Formal cause?

Answer 25

What is its shape or characteristics? This describes how we know what something is, its shapes and characteristics (form).

Question 26

What is an objects Final cause?

Answer 26

Why? What is its purpose? This is the most important cause because it describes the telos or purpose, why the object is there

Question 27

What did Aristotle believe about the universe?

Answer 27

He believed, like many ancient Greeks, the universe was eternal

Question 28

What does eternal mean?

Answer 28

No begging or end

Question 29

How did Aristotle justify the constant change of the universe?

Answer 29

Aristotle explained the reason for continuous change was the ultimate Final cause, the immutable Prime Mover.

Question 30

Why did Aristotle believe that the Prime Mover is the final cause of movement and change?

Answer 30

The Prime Mover is the final cause of movement and change because it draws things towards itself, without doing anything itself.

Question 31

What happens as a result of the Prime Mover attracting things?

Answer 31

The Prime Mover attracts, so everything is in a continual cycle of change from actuality to potentiality and back to actuality etc - which explains the reason and purpose for this constant state of motus.