Greeks Flashcards
1
Q
key messages of the story of the cave
A
- this world is not real but the world of the forms is
- the knowledge that we gain is through the mind
- only philosophers have this knowledge so they should rule
- philosophers are the ones who know what is good
2
Q
Weaknesses of the story of the cave
A
- it is not clear why philosophers must rule if this is the shadow world
- information we get through our senses help use to survive (can’t reject empiricism)
- plato doesn’t give proof or how they relate
- guilty of elitism, philosophers are people
3
Q
Key understanding of forms and particulars
A
- idea that we recognise but can’t easily define do exist - they are invisible and intangible but are known to the mind
- each from is one single thing with many particulars
4
Q
Aristotle four causes
A
Material, formal, efficient, final
- key knowledge come from empiricism
- it illustrates that the world is real
- the world and everything in it has a purpose
5
Q
Key features of the prime mover
A
- immutable
- eternal
- perfect
- impassive
- non-physical and immaterial
- it is the cause of change and draws everything to itself
- can only think of itself
- the final cause
- pure actuality
6
Q
Attributes of both the prime mover and God
A
- good
- eternal
- first cause
7
Q
Aristotle supports of empiricism
A
- a posteriori is more useful for knowledge of the world around us
- we could not have thought of most things without the senses
- senses can deceive us
- it is hard to understand how we get ideas
8
Q
Form of the good vs prime mover
A
- BOTH: eternal, immutable, necessary, outside the universe, perfect, transcendent
- PRIME MOVER: final cause, pure actuality, no potential, impersonal
- FORM OF THE GOOD: illuminates the mind, participates in all the forms, highest form, good
9
Q
Hierarchy of the forms
A
1) form of the good
2) form of beauty, justice, truth, equality
3) abstract ideas
4) mathematical reasoning and science
- ———————————————————
5) material objects and opinions based on senses
10
Q
strengths of rationalism
A
- more to the world than meets the eye
- a priori knowledge
- we have a sense of justice or beauty that seems to be innate, we ‘just know’
- reason makes more sense of reality and what we experience
- senses deceive us so we have different opinions about what is good because reason is not being used well
- we cannot rely on senses and observation to gain knowledge as they deceive us - reason is more reliable
11
Q
weaknesses of rationalism
A
- how can we know without the sense
12
Q
strengths of empiricism
A
- knowledge gained a posteriori
- need senses for learning + surviving
- there is no evidence of the existence of another world outside of the senses
- we can use reason only after we have experienced and observed things in the world
- we disagree on right and wrong when we use reason, it is better to use observation
- learning is more than than just remembering eg there is more to the salve boy than just remembering, he was sent through the steps
13
Q
weaknesses of empiricism
A
Sense can decieve us
14
Q
strengths of the prime mover
A
- impassive prime mover seems more logical than God
- prime mover avoids problem of evil
- we can see natural things seem to have telos and are drawn towards an end goal or purpose eg acorn
- prime mover helps to explain the movement and change
- explains why there is perpetual motion - the planets move in predictable rotations
- it gives a final reason why as it is the final cause
15
Q
Aristotle - causation
A
- most objects conform to four causes
- four causes focus on purpose + meaning, we cam determine if something is good or not
- the claim that everything has a purpose is subjective (eg purpose of life is a matter of choice)
16
Q
strengths of Plato
A
- We can recognise things that are similar even if we can’t explain exactly what it is
- without forms we can’t explain sameness
- ideal standards: absolute unchanging moral rules, form of good gives an absolute idea of goodness
- use of rationalism - is there more than meets the eye, how do we know?, can’t trust our senses
- analogy of the cave is universal and timeless
- philosopher kings - do they make the best leaders because they use reason?
- we can see things in the world of appearances change an die
- form of beauty and justice are concepts that don’t change
17
Q
weaknesses of Plato
A
- Wittgenstein - rejects ‘one over many’, there is just a series of overlapping characteristics
- the third man argument - there is nothing to stop asking what the form and particulars have in common and need a third to explain
- problems with new inventions and extinctions
- evolution means explaining what objects have in common
- does not use empirical evidence
- if there is one form of the good why do we disagree over right and wrong
- analogy of the cave is a weak method of reasoning
- philosopher kings - he is guilty of elitism, practical skills are more important than using reason
- using reason is hard
- change can be seen as better than immutability
18
Q
Plato’s support of rationalism
A
- a priori knowledge gives certainty (only in logic and maths)
- number of things that are hard to know without expereince
19
Q
Attributes of God (to compare to prime mover)
A
- all powerful
- all knowing
- interacts with and loves the world
20
Q
strengths of Aristotle
A
- you can see the four causes today
- the final cause gives things a sense of purpose
- it is based on empiricism which can be tested
- material cause is obvious - all things must be made of physical matter so this is a useful basis for our knowledge
- efficient cause explains the process of change
- formal cause helps us to understand what gives something its shape and characteristics
- final cause helps to explain why everything has a purpose
- if an object fulfils its purpose then it is good - good is intrinsic to the object itself
- empirical theory is applicable to life and scientific enquiry
21
Q
weaknesses of Aristotle
A
- some things has no purpose
- even if parts have a purpose the whole may not (fallacy of composition)
- having a purpose is a mental process
- existentialism - things just are
- cannot din the four causes in everything eg beauty
- Aristotle moves away from empiricism when he suggests the prime mover
- our senses can deceive use
- there is more to life than sense experience
- HUME: cause and effect could be correlation
- goodness does not necessarily have to link to purpose
22
Q
weaknesses of the prime mover
A
- difficult to understand something as perfect with no knowledge of the world
- not involved in the world and not worthy of worship
- if its responsible for everything where did matter come from
- purpose is a human construct so we give things purpose - there is no external purpose so there is no need for a final cause
- you have to move to rationalism to understand the prime mover it is no longer an empirical concept
23
Q
strengths of the story of the cave
A
- shows that our senses do deceive us - what we sense is only the partial reality
- senses can trap us, we can be closed minded and not want to consider other views or ways of thinking
- relying on reason is like becoming a philosopher
24
Q
Aristotle’s prime mover is more successful that Plato’s form of the Good
A
- prime mover explains the reason why there is change in the world, because everything is being drawn to its perfection
- Aristotle is based on sense experience
- Plato does not clearly explain how the form of the good participates in objects or concepts in the world of appearances but the prime mover gives a clear explanation
25
Q
Plato’s form of the good is more successful than Aristotle’s prime mover
A
- form of the good explains change in the world of appearances - things here decay but participate in the perfect
- prime mover can’t be observed with the sense, the form of the good is not part of the material world - important to use reason for truth
- form of the good explains how we recognise goodness in lots of different things
(- Aristotle’s prime mover moves to rationalism so is criticised in the same way the the form of the good is)
