The Forms Flashcards
What does Plato believe about the world we live in?
He believes that the world we live in is a pale imitation of the ‘real world’
What is the ‘Real world’?
It is unchanging and eternal. It is the world of ideas and not senses, which there are perfect forms of the things we know on earth. Fixed truths that are right all of the time.
What is an essence of an object?
What an object is e.g. a dog has a tail and 4 legs, a 3 year old can recognise a dog between a horse with no clear distinctions because of its essence.
Why does Plato say we recognise forms?
He says we are born with a dim recollection of them from our prior existence in the realm of the forms. Our soul does not change, it is eternal and was connected to our forms before our body.
Why can certain things not form into a form?
They are man made things like maths or evil so they cannot be in the realm of the forms.
What did Plato say was the Form of the Forms?
Good, it is the greatest form and all ideal forms have the preference of good.
How were forms presented in the cave?
The cave was used to emphasise good
The sun was the strongest form and its light allowed the prisoner to recognise the other forms.
The prisoner recognised these forms as his soul was from the realm of the forms.
What is knowledge of the good to a human?
It is the highest knowledge of a human. The ordinary person struggles to see past the illusion of the world which is ruled by their empirical senses.
Give 3 strengths of the forms
It explains why we all recognise the same essential elements in something.
This argument makes sense of why the world is not perfect.
It encourages people to question things in the world and not accept everything at face value.
Give 3 weaknesses of the forms
Any of the following:
There is no proof the realm exists
Infinite regression-What is stopping you from having a form of a form of a form?
There is no absolute value of the good, it is subject and based on perceptions.
It is unlikely that everything is an ideal form e.g. a slug.
Plato believes senses are inferior.
Aristotle disputes this.
What were the 2 kinds of beings Plato believed existed?
Spiritual (souls) and Material beings such as tables and daffodils. Each has its proper realm, the realm of reality and the realm of appearance.
What is the difference between our world and the realm of souls?
The realm of souls is unchanging unlike our world.
