Ancient philosphical influences

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Plato was a rationalist. what does this mean?
He though we could gain knowledge primarily through our reason
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Reality consists of two worlds. What are these worlds called ?
The physical world and the world of the forms
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How is the physical world known?
It is known through sense experience however the senses can be misleading.
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How is the world of the forms known?
This world is know through reason which gives more certainty.
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The physical world is always .... but the realm of the forms is always ....
The physical world is always changing but the realm of the forms is always unchanging
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Since the world of the forms is unchanging this meant Plato believed that
knowledge of the world of the forms will have lasting certainty that knowledge of the physical world will never have
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The physical world is given its reality by .....
the forms
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What are the forms?
The forms are concepts that help us understand the world. If we know the form of justice then we can recognize examples of jutice in the world. If we understand whiteness as a concept then we can recognize white things in the world.
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Does phenomena in the physical world participate in its from.
Yes ! A domestic cat participates in the form of a cat and so does a lion
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Why are the forms superior to physical phenomena ?
because forms are unchanging
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How are the forms known.
Through reason
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What was platos view of the form of the good
He belived that it was the highest of all the forms and it illuminates them all
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What does philosophy lead to ...
It leads us to a recognition of true goodness and so philosophers should rule the state
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Plato was a dualist what does this mean?
He though that reality can be divided into two. The world of the forms and the physical world.
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Do we know about the forms from birth?
Yes
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Since we know about the forms from birth what dies this mean?
This means we must have encountered them before we were born. Therefore we must have immortal souls that are capable of living without being in our physical bodies.
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What analogy did Plato create to show how he understand philosophy?
The analogy of the cave
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What does the analogy of the cave illustrate
it illustrates how knowledge gained through sense experience is inferior to knowledge gained from the forms.
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Which of plato's books does the analogy of the cave appear in ?
Republic
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What does Plato compare the physical world to
A dark cave
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What does Plato compare the world of the forms to
A sun filled real world.
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What does he ask us to imagine inside the cave that are tied up
Prisoners who have never known anything but their imprisonment
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The prisoners have sense ...
... experience, which are only shadows of the truth, but they accept this at face value because they don't know any better and don't question their senses
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What happens when the prisoner leaves the cave
He is enlightened by the form of the good, giving him knowledge about what the world is really like
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What does the physical world (the cave) demonstrate
It demonstrates how knowledge gained through the senses is often partial or misleading.
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If someone never questions the information they gain through their senses what does Plato believe about them
He believed they are trapped by their ignorance just like the prisoners are trapped in the cave.
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Do we mistake the information we gain through our senses?
Yes - we mistake the information we gain through our senses as truth but the real truth is found through philosophy which leads us to the forms.
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How did Richard Dawkins criticize Plato ?
He said it doesn't make sense to talk of another world beyond the physical one. We cannot possibly know or make any meaningful statements about other worlds.
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Is there any evidence for the realm of the forms
No - there is no evidence to support the existence of the realm of the forms
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Is the physical world worth studying?
The physical world is worth studying even if the knowledge we gain from sense experience is not completely certain
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Is the theory of the forms unclear or clear?
It is unclear. We dont know if each plant has a form or if there is one form for plant in general, or if there is a from for living things or if there is a form of the forms.
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Is the idea of senses misleading us a good thing or a bad thing?
Plato's recognition that our senses could mislead us could be seen as valuable. People can learn things from our senses misleading us.
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Does Plato support the modern value of don'n t judge a book by its cover
Yes Plato could be commended for encouraging people to look beyond surface appearances in order to gain understanding
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Aristotle was an empiricist. What does this mean?
He though we could gain knowledge primarily through our experiences of the world and our experiences through our senses
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How did Aristotle believe we learn about reality?
He believed we learn about reality through observation of the modern world
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If anything other than the physical world exists what does Aristotle believe.
He believes we have no way of knowing about it.
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Which four ways did Aristotle believe reality can be explained as?
He believed the four causes can can explain reality and can explain the physical world around us.
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Which word did Aristotle use which means cause or explanation?
aetion. He though cause could be explained in four different ways.
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List Aristotle's four causes
The material cause, The formal cause, The efficient cause and the final cause
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What is the material cause
This explain what something is made from - the material cause of a chair is wood and glue.
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What is the formal cause
The formal cause explains what shape something takes or what its identifying features are - The formal cause of a chair is a square seat and a straight back.
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What is the efficient cause
The efficient cause explains the activity that makes something happen. - The efficient cause of the carpenters activity has realized the potential of the wood to become a chair.
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What is the final cause
This is somethings purpose or reason for existence. Aristotle believed something was good if it fulfilled its telos - This is a good chair if it is sturdy and comfortable to sit on.
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Since everything in the physical world is moving and changing Aristotle said that there must be a ...
Prime mover
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Did he think that en endless chain of cause and effect was possible
NO
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Is the Prime mover contingent or necessary ?
NECESSARY - The prime mover is the first of all substance and depends on nothing else for its existence - it exists necessarily
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Because the prime mover is necessary what must it also be ?
Eternal
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The prime mover causes change or motion in everything by A...
Attraction
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Everything in the world is drawn towards the prime mover because of its P...
Perfection
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Does the prime mover have potential for change
NO- the prime mover must have no potential for change, but must be pure actuality
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The prime mover must be perfectly ..... because it is ...... and cannot be corrupted
The prime mover must be perfectly good because it is unchangeable and cannot be corrupted
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The prime mover must be .... because it is not capable of being acted upon
The prime mover must be immaterial because it is not capable of being acted upon
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The prime mover is .... and the ultimate reason for everything: the prime mover is the ... of the universe
The prime mover is transcendent and the ultimate reason for everything: the prime mover is the final cause of the universe
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Does Aristotle lack clarity
YES - Aristotle's writings often lack clarity, partly only because we have fragments of it.
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Do you think Aristotle dismissed Plato's ideas too readily
Aristotle could be criticized for dismissing too readily Plato's belief in and the world beyond this one, and for depending too heavily on sense experience
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What did Bertrand Russell and Dawkins say about the idea of the world having a telos
They say that the world does have a telos and that it just exists and is a brute fact
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Is it possible that the world just came into existence by chance
This might by true that the world came into existence by chance and not by a prime mover
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Does Aristotle's consider any other possibilities about the worlds existence
Aristotle's only succeeds in suggesting an explanation for the universe but hasn't considered other suggestions doesn't come to a conclusion
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Reality consists of two worlds. What are these worlds called ?

Back

The physical world and the world of the forms

Card 3

Front

How is the physical world known?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

How is the world of the forms known?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

The physical world is always .... but the realm of the forms is always ....

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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