Evaluation to Platos understanding of reality Flashcards
Understand strengths and weaknesses of Plato's understanding of reality.
What is a weakness that talks about opinion?
Good is subjective - people have their own opinion about what is good so it is unlikely people will always come to the same conclusion about what is good.
What is a weakness that talks about our senses?
We base our understanding based on what we sense - why is this wrong? It is evidence of existence - there is no proof of another world.
What is a weakness that talks about the illusion of the theory of the Forms?
If we were to conclude that the world of the Forms doesn’t exist, the whole analogy is meaningless - there is no evidence to prove that the world outside the cave is real and the world inside the cave is unreal.
What is a weakness that talks about everthing in existance having an ideal form?
It is unlikely that everything has an ideal form - for example, would there be an ideal form of cancer, pain or even slug?
What is a weakness that talks about infinate regression?
If you have a form of a form, what is there to stop you having an ideal form of that form? This argument goes on forever backwards.
What is a weakness that talks about the discovery of true knowledge?
Plato suggests that nobody who had discovered true knowledge (the form of the good) would ever return to the world of shadows. However, just because someone knows true goodness doesn’t mean they wouldn’t give into selfishness or greed. The visable world may hold some attractions.
What is a strength that talks about our universal recognition of essential elements?
Plaoto’s thoughts on the unchanging soul and the world of Forms explains why we have some collective experience of something (eg. beauty) without being taught it.
What is a strength that talks about true reality lies beyond our senses?
Plato believed that true reality is more valuable than our experiences or senses. For example, personality, which cannot be seen is more important than beauty when we are attracted to someone.
What is a strength that talks about why there are imperfections in the world?
Plato’s theory does not rely on the existance of an all-present higher being who creates imperfections for reasons we cannot understand. Imperfections are a result of the fact the wwe live in the material world which is a shadow of Forms.
