Plato and Aristotle Flashcards
epistemology
study of knowledge
rationalism
- using reason to gain knowledge
- a-pirori knowledge
- knowledge self evident no sensory evidence provide certainty
- plato = rationalist
empiricism
- using senses to gain knowledge
- a-posteriori knowledge
- sense based referring to working hypothesis that can be tested via observation
- Aristotle = empiricists
theory of forms
- our world is changing so there must be a world where things are perfect
- everything we experience is a shadow of form
- imperfect copies are participating in the form to greater and lower extents
- can achieve true knowledge of forms via reason
whats a form
- perfect, unchanging, eternal, essence and reason why we experience our world
episteme
achieved true knowledge
whats the form of the good
supreme good
there must be a form of forms
all perfection is reflected from form of good
ability to know forms
- immortal soul experiences WofF before being reincarnated
- within physical body the memory is dim of WofF
- soul remembers forms
- education is not learning its remembering
Metempsychosis
soul being reincarnated
anamnesis
soul remembering WofF
Aristotle
‘father of formal logic’
change is good
teleology
everything needs to change to come to final purpose
potentiality to actuality
- everything has potential to change
- happens through 4 causes
- once achieved purpose it exists in actual state
- continuous cycle of change and motion
four causes
material - what is it made of - potential
formal - whats its characteristics - form
efficient - how does it happen - process
final - purpose - telos
strengths of plato x6
- Doesn’t credit truth in our world but it does credit the value in questioning our knowledge
- avoid a-posteriori reasoning by attempting a rational idea of the world, avoiding errors based on false observation and misconception
- Gives an explanation on subjectivity of human experience
- Promotes and provides a platform for thinking/ consideration of abstract concepts and their importance
- Understanding of reality rooted in reason and logic > experience
- important to note* - cannot accept platos world of the forms as true but it does give us something to consider - we still don’t have the answers today
weaknesses of plato
No empirical evidence for existence of forms
Infinite regress of forms - one over many argument -> no specification of how many forms there are, suggests all concepts even negatives have a perfect form EX - perfect form of murder. Huge anomaly of the theory/ nonsensical theory.
(EVAL prime colours - you can make any colour from those colours in different quantities - relating to forms = prime forms and reflect in different quantities = not infinite regression of forms)
Devalues our world and our experiences
Aristotle - ignores the value all sense experiences and the knowledge gained
Elitists theory - advocated for ‘philosophical kings’ - celebrates a class based society - well educated rule etc
strengths of Aristotle
A-posteriori - empirical, testable evidence around his idea of the four causes
(EVAL - limited to individual objects, would commit an inductive leap)
Sufficient reason - theory of causation offers a clear rational and full explanation for each object
No inductive leap to a personal God, Christo-centric God/ God of classical theism
weakness of Aristotle
B.Russell - universe is brute fact and doesn’t require an overall cause
Commits the fallacy of composition - assuming what applies in universe (four causes to objects) applies to the universe itself
Oscillating universe theory - the universe may have existed infinitely, infinite regression. No reason to assert the necessity of a starting point
PM represents an impersonal, abstract concept of God - claims of religious experiences = metaphysical force in the universe that’s more personal than A allows
(EVAL - not meant to be the Christian idea of God and questioning of the validity of their claims)
Modern cosmology has given us an explanation for the origin of the universe - The Big Bang. This is verifiable and eliminated the need of a PM
