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Ancient Philososphical Influences Flashcards

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1
Q

What was the time period called western philosophy began?

A

Classical period between 480-323 BCE

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2
Q

Why was there an easy exchange of ideas between people and countries?

A

Large amounts of sea trades between countries around the Mediterranean coast. Ideas and many modern ideas on politics, architecture, science and philosophy was spread

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3
Q

What was the beliefs of the ancient Greeks?

A

They attributed the whole universe and its workings to the acts of a family of immortal Gods and Goddesses (Zeus, Poseidon etc)
Mount Olympus was the highest mountain in Greece and was considered the realm of the Gods and humans could visit by invitation only

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4
Q

Why happen in the Pre-Socratic period?

A

Some people began to find these religious explanations inadequate. Began to search for answers about the nature of the universe from reason with logic

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5
Q

What was the philosopher Thales main question?

A

‘What was the world made of?’
He was considered the first philosopher to attempt to explain the world using reason

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6
Q

What did the philosophers Pythagoras and Heraclitus say?

A

Pythagoras- to explain the world in terms of mathematics
Heraclitus- he declared that everything is in a state of constant flux or change

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7
Q

What were the 2 time periods considered with Socrates?

A

Pre-Socratic: era of the Greek philosophers who proceeded Socrates
Socratic: Time of Socrates onwards

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8
Q

What was Socrates life before becoming a philosopher?

A

He was originally a solider who thought in wars but returned to Athens to be a philosopher

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9
Q

What did Socrates believes was necessary to finding out the truth?

A

He believed in Critical questioning was needed to clarify and challenge assumption
Helps people distinguish between knowledge and reason

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10
Q

What was Socrates famous quote?

A

“The only thing I know is that I know nothing” showing that nothing can be fully known in this life

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11
Q

What lead to Socrates death?

A

His questioning exposed ignorance and this angered political leaders which lead to his arrest and then forced to drink poison where he died

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12
Q

What was Plato’s significance in philosophy?

A

He is regarded as one of the greatest philosophers and has influenced people today

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13
Q

What event affected Plato?

A

The trial and death of his teacher Socrates and dedicated his writings to preserve Socrates ideas in his work

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14
Q

What was Platos view on leadership and education?

A

He believed that good leaders were made through proper education, not born, which made him create The Academy which is like a modern day university

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15
Q

What was Platos main argument

A

We can gain knowledge through the use of reason and this means he is considered the first Rationalist philosopher

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16
Q

Who was Aristotle?

A

A star pupil of Platos Academy who had 200 works and considered one of the greatest thinkers in politics, psychology and ethics
He was an admirer of Plato but rejected a few that there is another world which is the object of true knowledge
He argued we gain knowledge from our observation and experience

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17
Q

How was Aristotle’s view different from Platos?

A

Aristotle rejected some of Platos ideas and focused more on science and the natural world and studying plants and insects
He opened up his own school the ‘Lyceum’ where Platos philosophy was studied and criticised

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18
Q

What was Aristotle’s approach to knowledge?

A

He believed that knowledge comes primarily from our senses through the physical world
He was the first empiricist philosopher

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19
Q

What as the school of Athens by Raphael?

A

It was a painting which included 60 figures that represent the greatest mathematicians, philosophers and scientist from this period
It includes many key philosophers such as Socrates, Pythagoras and plato next to Aristotle in the middle

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20
Q

What is a deductive argument?

A

An argument in which the premises (if correct) lead to the only possible conclusion
The conclusion is guaranteed to be true

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21
Q

What is an validity in arguments?

A

If a deductive argument doesn’t make sense as the first premise is unreasonable

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22
Q

What’s an inductive argument?

A

An argument that has a conclusion that is probable but not conclusive
The conclusion Cant be proved

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23
Q

What is epistemology?

A

The study of knowledge

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24
Q

Difference between knowledge and belief?

A

Knowledge- is an objective truth, same for all people
Belief- it is subjective and based upon a persons perspective

Knowledge must be justified with good reason

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25
Explain what priori and posteriori knowledge is
Priori- knowledge known without needing the senses and is objectively true (maths) Posteriori- gaining knowledge through observation, the senses (a mobile phone is in my pocket)
26
Why did Plato reject the physical world as a source of true knowledge?
Because the physical world is constantly changing with time and is unreliable for gaining certain knowledge
27
What are the 2 worlds in Platos theory?
The world of appearances: physical world World of the Forms: the true eternal world of perfect ideals
28
What was the world of the Forms?
It is non-physical, eternal and unchanging which contains perfect versions of everything found in the physical world such as beauty and objects such as trees
29
What is Platos view on the relationship between the world of appearances and the forms?
The world of appearances is a pale reflection of the world of forms where everything in the physical world is a imperfect copy of the true idea
30
Who can see the world of Forms?
Ordinary people struggle to see past the illusions of this world, only the philosopher who investigates and questions is able to see the world
31
What is the form of the Good and who made it?
Plato believed the forms were arranged in a hierarchy. The ultimate most important form, is the Form of the Good Below this are the higher forms
32
What is the form of the good?
The form of the good is goodness itself, perfect goodness
33
What is ignorance?
Ignorance is the course of immortality. The reason people still lie is that they’re ignorant of the form of honesty
34
What are the higher forms?
The higher forms are abstract concepts such as justice they are all aspects of goodness because they participate in the perfection of the form of the good
35
Give examples of the higher forms
Justice Truth Wisdom Courage
36
What is the form of beauty?
We recognise many different beautiful things in our world however because things are constantly changing nothing is perfect so they resemble the form of duty but they are not beauty itself
37
What did Plato believe about proportions between the two worlds?
Believe that something is always in proportion to something else so believe the two realms are proportion to each other. Something is true in the world of appearance is even more fully true in the world of forms
38
What analogy did Plato give to explain the world?
Plato’s Cave
39
Where were the prisoners in Plato’s Cave?
They are chained inside a dark cave only able to see a walls and not move their heads
40
What did the prisoners see on the wall?
They see shadows made by objects behind them due to it being illuminated by the fire as people walk by
41
What happens when one prisoner escapes?
He sees the real world and learn the shadows were not real the real world in this is the world of forms
42
What does the prisoner do once he has seen the real world?
He returned to the cave and starts to tell the other prisoners about what is seen, but they don’t believe him and want to stay in the cave This represents philosopher’s trying to give us knowledge about the world of forms but us not listening
43
44
What do you think that Aristotle want to understand?
Why everything is in this constant state of change and motion? How things maintain their identity through change.
45
What did Aristotle figure out about objects identity through change?
He said that everything in the universe is moving constantly between actuality and potentiality which is caused by external forces
46
What is actuality and potentiality?
Actuality: what a thing is or does Potentiality: what a thing can become, the ability for change
47
Give an example of actuality and potentiality
The kettle is actually full of cold water, but has the potential to be hot
48
What are the four causes in order?
Material cause Efficient course Formal course Final course
49
What is the material cause?
The material causes a matter something is made up of. For example with the material of a silver ring a silver
50
What is the efficient cause?
The efficient course is the process of something coming into existence, the process of change. For example, the efficient cause of the silver ring is the silversmith
51
What is the formal cause?
The formal court is how we recognise what something is- its shape, form or characteristics The formal court of a silver ring is it circular shape and the hole through the middle
52
What is the final course?
The most important cause for our Aristotle, The final cause as it describes the purpose of something and why is here The final cause of a silver ring it’s a beautiful or to show the commitment of two individuals
53
Why is the final cause of the most important?
He claims everything in the universe has a purpose, including every part of the human body and Aristotle reasons that each individual person has a purpose. The universe itself has a purpose.
54
What does Aristotle say about goodness?
Aristotle claims that object is good if it fulfils its purpose. For example, an ax is good if it cuts well
55
What were Aristotle’s two main questions about the universe?
What is the purpose of the universe as a whole? What causes objects in the universe to actualise their potential?
56
What does Aristotle start with about the universe?
He says that everything in motion must be set in motion by something else however if the mover required another mover, it will lead to a infinite regress of motion so there must be a first cause
57
What was Aristotle’s solution to the infinite regression?
He said that there must be an unmoved mover where it can cause the motion of everything else without being moved self. He called the being the prime mover and it’s the cause of the universe itself. The prime movers is also the final cause of the universe and the ultimate purpose of everything you need us is a desire for God
58
Names of characteristic for the prime mover
Perfection Transcendent Outside space and time Necessity (not dependent upon anything) Immutable (unchanging)
59
What’s the similarities between the form of the good and the prime mover?
Both are transcendent, perfect, eternal. Both can be known for a reason. Never created the world. Never as involved with the world
60
What are the differences between the form of the good and the prime mover?
The prime mover is an orbit beyond the planet. The form of the good is in the real world of the forms. Aristotle prime mover is supreme conscious unaware but plato does not tell us whether the form of the good has consciousness
61
What is an overall view of the form of the good and the prime mover?
The form of the good tries to explain what goodness, justice etc.. ‘really’ is and to find something permanent in an uncertain world full of change Aristotle’s Prime Mover attempts to explain how and why change occurs.

Philosophy A Level (4 decks)

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