Key Terms Flashcards
Transcendent
Beyond material world. Above the range of normal human experience. The forms are transcendent
Archetypes
An initial idea from which later ideas and morals are derived, e.g the forms are archetypes
Necessary being
A being that must exist can not not exist
Metaphysics
A story of the theories of nature and reality,
- Name of Aristotle’s book
Infinite regression
An endless chain of cause and effect
Teleology
Referring to the end or purpose
Actuality
When an object fulfils it’s purpose to become something else
Potentiality
When something contains the ingredients or ability to become something else
Pure Actuality
No potential for change or to be acted upon
Materialism
Aristotle believes this - rejection of dualism, believes only in body not soul and current life not hereafter
Form (Plato)
The idea of something. Ideal, perfect, eternal. Our soul has recollection and education is process of remembering.
Form (Aristotle)
The formal cause
- the shape something takes that allows it to be identified
Rationalist
Knowledge based on reason - Plato
Empirical
Knowledge from / after experience
Epistemology
Study of conditions / nature of knowledge
Form of the Good
Highest form of knowledge- enables us to understand other forms
- all ideals have the form of the good in them
Allegory
Story that can be interpreted to reveal hidden meanings or symbolise ideals and concepts
A-posteriori
Knowledge based on sense data - Aristotle
A- priori
Knowledge prior to experience
Tautology
Definitions about the meanings of words
Hereclitus
500 BC
- you can never step into the same river twice
Dualist
Belief in 2 distinct principles - often opposites. E.g Platos belief in 2 realms and separation of the body and soul
