Plato's Forms Flashcards
define particulars
earthly/material things
define forms
true reality that lies beyond or behind the particulars
define concepts
what really interested Plato justice goodness beauty courage
for Plato the forms explain what?
how we recognise particulars
why is a posteriori reasoning challenged by Plato?
because everything changes
what does Plato answer with his theory of the forms?
the problem of recognition
describe the realm of the particulars
inside the cave
phenomena
the world we experience
describe the realm of the forms
outside the cave
ideals
the world beyond the world of the senses
what did Plato think about particular things of beauty (such as art)?
a pale imitation of the form of beauty
why might looking at art be a problem for recognising beauty for Plato?
it is a posteriori reasoning
how did Plato explain our recognition of beauty?
memory of the world of the forms
why might Plato have a problem recognising ‘particular’ instances of justice?
because everything changes
how might Plato have recognised ‘particular’ instances of justice?
memory of the forms
Plato was convinced that behind each object or concept was somethings…….
essence
what did essence enable us to do?
know what something is
what did Plato call the essence?
forms
how, for Plato do we know that a dog is a dog and not a horse?
because it has the essence of a dog
how do we know that giving to the poor is just?
it has the essence of justice
what is knowledge for Plato?
not learnt behaviour
is known a priori (through reason not experience)
the forms are remembered
how do we remember the forms for Plato?
our soul gets knowledge through the realm of the forms
when we are born our body traps the soul and all the knowledge within it
describe the forms
immutable eternal separate independant perfect blueprint immaterial absolute truth source of all knowledge
describe the particulars
phenomena- physical world pale imitation- illusions/shadows flux/changing- therefore no truth of reality resemblance opinion
