POR: Ancient Philosophical Influences

Question 1

Define rationalism

Answer 1

The view that the primary source of knowledge is reason, in the strictest sense, a priori reason

Question 2

Define empiricism

Answer 2

The idea that observations via our senses lead us to understanding of the world

Question 3

Define reason

Answer 3

Using logical thought in order to reach conclusions

Question 4

Plato’s philosophical beliefs

Answer 4

• Relied on reason
• The most important aspect of reality lies beyond this world
• Rationalist
• Cave analogy (The Republic)
• A Priori reasoning

Question 5

Aristotles philosophical beliefs

Answer 5

• Empirical knowledge
• Most important aspect of reality was to gain understanding of the world
• Empiricist
• Prime Mover

Question 6

Plato’s analogy of the cave

Answer 6

Prisoners are chained in a cave, and have been since birth. There is a fire behind them that causes shadows to be projected onto a wall they can see. A prisoner escapes and sees their shadow world isn’t real.

Question 7

Features of Plato’s cave analogy

Answer 7

• Prisoners: Ordinary people
• Cave: Empirical world we see around us
• Chains: Senses that restrict our view of the world
• Shadows: The ‘world’ we experience
• Escaped Prisoner: Philosophers
• Difficult Ascent: Hard road to philisophical knowledge
• Outside World: World of Forms
• Sun: Form of the Good
• Return to cave: Philosophers duty to free and educate

Question 8

Define a priori

Answer 8

Knowledge which is not dependant on experience, which can be known ‘prior’ to experience (e.g. triangles have three sides)

Question 9

Plato’s conclusions

Answer 9

• Plato’s view on metaphysics is that the world isn’t real and that the real world is the unchanging World of Forms
• Plato’s view on epistemology is that knowledge is through the mind (a priori) not the senses, as they only provide opinion and shadows
• Plato views only philosophers as having knowledge, therefore they should rule. Democracy puts power into the hands of those without knowledge (prisoners)
• Plato views only philosophers being able to understand the moral good

Question 10

Define metaphysics

Answer 10

The branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of reality

Question 11

Define epistemology

Answer 11

The branch of philosophy concerned with the theory of knowledge

Question 12

Define a posteriori

Answer 12

Knowledge which is dependant on sense experience, and can only be known after sense experience

Question 13

Criticisms of Plato’s cave analogy

Answer 13

• Plato is correct to suggest our senses can be unreliable, but the information we get from our senses isn’t unimportant and aids our survival
• Plato doesn’t offer empirical evidence of the World of Forms and is unclear of how the two realities relate
• Plato views philosophers as elite, when in reality they are ordinary people, not those with knowledge and without ignorance which is too simplistic

Question 14

Define Plato’s Forms

Answer 14

The true objects that exist in the World of Forms. The objects we have in our world are only shadows of these ideals

Question 15

What are Plato’s Forms

Answer 15

• Objects in this world (e.g. chairs) are all different but have something in common. Plato believes there is an unchanging truth about all objects or quality, their Form.
• These Forms are invisible and intangible, but known to our mind

Question 16

What are Plato’s Particulars

Answer 16

Imperfect imitations of the Forms, that participate in the Form by having a greater or lesser quality of it, but not actually being the Form

Question 17

Qualities of the World of Forms

Answer 17

• Each Form is a single thing
• Known by intellect or reason
• Eternal
• Immutable
• Non-physical
• Perfect

Question 18

Qualities of the World of Particulars

Answer 18

• Many Particulars
• Known empirically
• Pass in and out of existence
• Constantly changing
• Physical
• Imperfect

Question 19

What is the Form of the Good

Answer 19

Plato’s ultimate form. Like all Particulars have a Form in common (tables to Form of a table), the ‘Good’ is what the Forms have in common. Perfection of the Forms comes from the Form of the Good (represented as the Sun as it illuminates other forms). It is the reason Forms are good, why we can ‘see’ Forms, the ultimate end in itself.

Question 20

Who influenced Plato

Answer 20

Heraclitus who describes the world being in a state of constant change (a person doesn’t step in the same river twice, as both he and the river have changed). Plato thought that if everything