Plato and Aristotle

Question 1

epistemology

Answer 1

study of knowledge

Question 2

rationalism

Answer 2

• using reason to gain knowledge
• a-pirori knowledge
• knowledge self evident no sensory evidence provide certainty
• plato = rationalist

Question 3

empiricism

Answer 3

• using senses to gain knowledge
• a-posteriori knowledge
• sense based referring to working hypothesis that can be tested via observation
• Aristotle = empiricists

Question 4

theory of forms

Answer 4

• 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

Question 5

whats a form

Answer 5

• perfect, unchanging, eternal, essence and reason why we experience our world

Question 6

episteme

Answer 6

achieved true knowledge

Question 7

whats the form of the good

Answer 7

supreme good
there must be a form of forms
all perfection is reflected from form of good

Question 8

ability to know forms

Answer 8

• 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

Question 9

Metempsychosis

Answer 9

soul being reincarnated

Question 10

anamnesis

Answer 10

soul remembering WofF

Question 11

Aristotle

Answer 11

‘father of formal logic’

change is good

Question 12

teleology

Answer 12

everything needs to change to come to final purpose

Question 13

potentiality to actuality

Answer 13

• everything has potential to change
• happens through 4 causes
• once achieved purpose it exists in actual state
• continuous cycle of change and motion

Question 14

four causes

Answer 14

material - what is it made of - potential
formal - whats its characteristics - form
efficient - how does it happen - process
final - purpose - telos

Question 15

strengths of plato x6

Answer 15

• 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

Question 16

weaknesses of plato

Answer 16

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

Question 17

strengths of Aristotle

Answer 17

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

Question 18

weakness of Aristotle

Answer 18

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