Ancient Philosophical Influences

Question 1

Arguments supporting Plato

Answer 1

DEMETE
Brian Davies- powerful Analogy to relate divine and human
Stephen Evans- rational argument for Hope of perfect existence
Bryan Magee- encourages seeking enlightenment
Explains Evil
True knowledge is knowledge of goodness- philosopher kings
“Everything tangible flows”- searched for timeless theories

Question 2

Arguments countering Plato

Answer 2

HISRSR
Hume+ Dawkins- counterintuitive of empiricism
Infinite Regression
Subjectivity of goodness/ beauty etc.
How Forms Relate- specific breed of cat
Survival- used senses for thousands of years
Reason- Verheys: “culturally influenced”

Question 3

Arguments supporting Aristotle

Answer 3

DEE
Determinism- must be an ultimate cause
Empirical- Aquinas+ inductive= weight of evidence
Telos reflects Evolution- desiring perfection

Question 4

Arguments countering Aristotle

Answer 4

DURBLD
Descartes- dreams= senses unreliable
Useless Prime Mover that only thinks about itself
Russell+ Hume “brute fact”= movement doesn’t prove Mover
Big Bang- matter not eternal
Logical contradiction in Unmoved Mover
Define into existence- Kant’s subject+ predicate