Plato’s Understanding Of Reality

Question 1

Who was Plato a pupil of?

Answer 1

Socrates

Pupil of Socrates, who died without leaving any written record

Question 2

What form did Plato write in?

Answer 2

Dialogues

Wrote in the form of Dialogues - discussions between two people

Question 3

What was Plato concerned with regarding reality?

Answer 3

True knowledge about the world around us

Concerned by the problem of how we can have true knowledge about the world around us

Question 4

According to Plato, how can true knowledge be acquired?

Answer 4

Through reason (priori)

True knowledge can only be acquired through reason (priori)

Question 5

What are Forms according to Plato?

Answer 5

Imperfect imitations of their ideal Form

Everything we see and experience in the physical world are just imperfect imitations of their ideal Form

Question 6

What realm do the Forms exist in?

Answer 6

The Forms exist in the ‘realm of the forms’. They are unchanging, outside of time, therefore eternal; outside of space, therefore perfect; particular things are imperfect.

Question 7

How do material things relate to the Forms?

Answer 7

Material things only have reality inasmuch as they ‘participate’ in their Forms.

Question 8

Why do we know the Forms according to Plato?

Answer 8

We know the Forms because they are innate ideas: we just know what the Form of Beauty is, or the Form of Symmetry, and we make judgments about the qualities of things in the physical world by comparing them with our concepts.

Question 9

What must we have in order to possess innate ideas according to Plato?

Answer 9

In order to have these innate ideas, we must have acquired them before we were born - therefore we must have souls, which remember the Forms from our prior existence.

Question 10

What does the analogy of the Cave illustrate?

Answer 10

The analogy illustrates many of Plato’s beliefs, including the fact that the material world is just a shadow of the real world of the Forms, and that the realm of Forms is illuminated by the ultimate form, the Form of the Good.

Question 11

Why was Socrates condemned to death according to the text?

Answer 11

People reject philosophical truth even when it is revealed to them, which is why Socrates was condemned to death.

Question 12

What is the argument made by the author about material things?

Answer 12

His argument about material things constantly changing is backed up by modern physics: ultimately there is no basic thing.

Example sentence: “The concept of matter being constantly changing is a key point in the author’s argument.”

Question 13

Why does knowledge have to be certain?

Answer 13

It is enough that our belief is justified - i.e. we have good reason to believe it.

Additional information: Knowledge does not have to be absolute, as long as there are good reasons to believe it.

Question 14

What are quarks and how are they related to knowledge?

Answer 14

Quarks are particles and waves on the smallest scale, making up matter. In practice, we rely on our senses for survival, and there are plenty of good reasons to believe a posteriori knowledge.

Example sentence: “Quarks play a crucial role in understanding the composition of matter.”

Question 15

What is modern science based on according to Dawkins?

Answer 15

Modern science is based completely on observation and experiment - i.e. wholly on sense perception. New theories are not accepted until there is empirical evidence to back them up.

Example sentence: “Dawkins emphasizes the importance of empirical evidence in modern science.”

Question 16

What is Aristotle’s view on the certainty of observations?

Answer 16

Aristotle frequently wrote that observations are ‘for the most part’ true, indicating a lack of absolute certainty.

Additional information: Aristotle’s approach to observations suggests a level of uncertainty.

Question 17

How does Plato explain the existence of Forms?

Answer 17

Plato fails to explain how material things ‘participate’ in the realm of Forms without reference to particular things or material objects.

Additional information: Plato’s explanation of Forms lacks clarity on the relationship between material objects and Forms.

Question 18

What is Augustine’s defense of Plato’s view on negative Forms?

Answer 18

Augustine would defend Plato by stating that negative forms do not have metaphysical reality, but are just ‘privatio boni’.

Additional information: Augustine’s defense emphasizes the lack of metaphysical reality in negative Forms.

Question 19

How does Stephen Laws argue against the concept of Forms?

Answer 19

Stephen Laws argues that Forms of objects can become meaningless, as seen in the example of the Form of ‘Plant’.

Additional information: Laws challenges the meaningfulness of Forms by raising questions about their characteristics.

Question 20

What is the objection to the certainty of mathematics if all matter ceases to exist?

Answer 20

The objection questions how mathematics can remain true if all matter ceases to exist, suggesting a potential lack of relevance in such a scenario.

Additional information: The objection raises doubts about the applicability of mathematics in the absence of matter.

Question 21

What does the ‘Dialogue of Meno’ illustrate about innate knowledge?

Answer 21

The ‘Dialogue of Meno’ illustrates Plato’s belief in innate knowledge through the example of a slave boy understanding Pythagoras’ theorem with little prompting.

Additional information: The dialogue highlights the concept of innate knowledge according to Plato.

Question 22

What is the Form of the Good?

Answer 22

The source of all existence, the essence of perfection

For Plato ‘Good’ is not so much a moral quality, as the ultimate quality of perfection. The Form of the Good is the purest, most abstract of the Forms, and so furthest away from the material world. It is the source of Truth, Intelligence, Reality BUT is not any of these things, but ‘beyond and superior’

Question 23

How are Forms related to each other?

Answer 23

In a hierarchy of perfection: bottom = imperfect ‘particulars’, forms of objects = perfect forms of the objects, higher forms = pure ideas which are the perfection behind eg. beautiful chair

Form of Good is the essential perfection which is what the higher forms all have in common

Question 24

What does the Form of the Good do?

Answer 24

Gives reality and illuminates the Forms for us, enabling us to understand them

The Form of the Good (or ultimate perfection) both gives reality to the Forms and illuminates them for us, enabling us to understand both types of perfection

Question 25

How is the Form of the Good illustrated in the analogy of the Cave?

Answer 25

The sun both causes things to grow and enables us to see those things, similarly the Form of the Good gives the Forms their reality and the knower’s mind the power of knowing them

Question 26

What is the evaluation of the Form of Forms?

Answer 26

Not persuasive, attractive to believe, may lead to infinite regression, resemblance to the Christian idea of God

Plato would probably say that the significance of the Good is not undermined even if there may be a Form beyond the Form of Forms. A.J.Ayer views Goodness/Perfection as subjective and relative to each person, while Aristotle argues against a single Form of the Good

Question 27

Why is Plato’s idea of the Good considered elitist?

Answer 27

Because only the intellectually enlightened can understand The Good, which raises concerns about inclusivity for people with learning difficulties or the uneducated