Intro to Epistemology

Question 1

Overview of rationalism

Answer 1

All knowledge is derived from, or depended upon, truths obtained by the employment of reason alone. Knowledge gained empirically is inferior

Question 2

Plato’s rationalism: physical objects vs the forms

Answer 2

• We cannot have genuine knowledge about physical objects: they are empirically verified and change (e.g. rotting food)
• We CAN have true knowledge of a pure, unchanging realm of being: the Forms.

Question 3

Plato’s rationalism: what is the divided line and how does it link to his epistemology

Answer 3

• It maps the hierarchy of thinking and of reality (epistemology and ontology)
• Plato’s forms are observed through the use of noesis / pure though (according to the divided line)
• Even the laws of mathematics (ontological side), which cannot be empirically verified as they just exist in the universe, are valued higher than physical objects
• Elevates the realm of the forms, denigrates the realm of the senses

Question 4

Plato’s rationalism:

Example of the slave boy

Answer 4

• When questioned, the slave boy still managed to answer all the questions about shape proportion despite not having had formal education

Question 5

Plato’s rationalism: implications of the slave boy example

Answer 5

• suggests knowledge is innate: it just needs to be brought out

Question 6

Plato’s rationalism: other examples of things innate

Answer 6

Fear, beauty, justice

fear is brought out through experiences from an external environment

Question 7

Palto’s rationality: view of the body and the soul

Answer 7

• Dualistic view: body and soul are separate. The soul is immortal and inhabits the body and gives it its characteristics
• The soul is what gives you your ability to reason - no connection to the body (which has our eyes, ears etc that gives us our senses)