Ancient philosophical influences

Question 1

What is rationalism?

Answer 1

The idea that human reason is the source of all knowledge and truth.

Question 2

What analogy does Plato use to explain why we must rely on rationalism and the theory of the Forms?

Answer 2

The analogy of the cave.

Question 3

In what work is Plato’s analogy of the cave found?

Answer 3

The Republic.

Question 4

Summarise Plato’s analogy of the cave.

Answer 4

• There are three chained prisoners in a cave.
• A fire behind them creates shadow on the wall when people pass.
• The prisoners believe that these shadows are real.
• One prisoner escapes the cave and is able to see the light of the sun and the real world.
• The escaped prisoner can no longer see as well in the cave, but attempts to free the other prisoners.
• The other prisoners ridicule him, threatening to kill anyone that tries to release them.

Question 5

What does the cave represent in Plato’s analogy of the cave?

Answer 5

Our material world.

Question 6

What does the prisoners believing the shadows are real mean in Plato’s analogy of the cave?

Answer 6

They are being deceived by their senses.

Question 7

What does the escaped prisoner represent in Plato’s analogy of the cave?

Answer 7

A philosopher using reason instead of relying on the senses.

Question 8

What does the sun represent in Plato’s analogy of the cave?

Answer 8

The Form of the Good.

Question 9

What may the other prisoners threatening to murder the prisoner be a reference to?

Answer 9

Socrates (Plato’s teacher and hero), since he was executed for corrupting the minds of the youth in Athens- by encouraging them to question and use rational thought

Question 10

What is one real-world example to show how our senses deceive us?

Answer 10

• When a straight pen is placed in a glass of water, it looks bent even though it is not.
• Much like the prisoners in the cave, our senses only reflect partial reality.
• The shadows seen by the other prisoners are inferior to the real world outside of the cave, in the same way that the distorted pen is inferior to the real pen.

Question 11

Why might it be better to use reason rather than empiricism?

Answer 11

• Because our senses can trap us, causing us to be close-minded and dismissing other ways of thinking.
• ## Instead, we should use rationalism to be open to new ideas.

Question 12

Why are our senses important and give a real-world example?

Answer 12

We use our (five) senses to survive, for example seeing blood and feeling pain enables the realisation that you have been injured and should take preventative measures to stop infection.

Question 13

Why might Plato be considered an elitist?

Answer 13

• Since not everybody can be philosophers.
• He wanted philosophers to rule.