Philosophy Intro: Clarification of Terms

Basic ClassificationEpistomologyOntologyEthics:

Epistemologystudy of knowledge and justified belief

Related Questions:What are the necessary conditions for knowledge? What are its sources? It’s limits?

Related Concept: Justification: What makes justified beliefs justified?

OntologyThe study of the nature of being, existence,

realityPart of branch of philosophy known as

metaphysicsRelated Questions: What kinds of entities

exist or can be said to exist?Related Concept(s): Ontological Argument:

arguments for the existence of God based on sources other than the world: i.e.: from reason alone

St Anselm (11th c): concept of a being “than which no greater can be conceived”:

EthicsMorality and practical reasonUsed descriptively: a code of conduct put forth by society, or;

Accepted as basis for one’s own behavior

Related Questions: What is the nature of the Good? Is it objective and universal, or subjective and personal?

AllegoryA mode of representation conveying

meaning beyond the literal: a tool to communicate: use of symbolic figures or actions to suggest relationships

Forms: language: poems, stories, but also can be a painting or sculpture

Plato’s The Cave: an allegorical tale illustrating his central Theory of Forms

Plato’s Theory of FormsProvides groundwork for all else he

doesProblem: How do we know

anything?How do we define/recognize virtues

such as Justice, Truth, Compassion? Beauty?

Illustration: The Color BlueUsed and applied to many thingsBut how do we do this since we

never encountered an unambiguous example of “blue”?

The Challenge of Change in the World:

A blue shirt washed over and over: result?

What standards are to be used to determine its blueness?

Plato’s Assumptions from thisAppears some objective standard needed

for these judgmentsTheory of Form attempts to deal with this

challenge of changeConcludes: If knowledge is possible,

objective knowledge must be unchanging*argues real, mind-independent entities

exist: forms: ideal forms of Justice, Good, Beauty, Male, Female, Blue

All knowledge, judgments, definitions are possible because of these forms

Will never see these in this world but can recognize its likeness, or “shadow”

The Cave?

Plato and AnamnesisSophistic Paradox and the Nature of Virtue What is Plato’s ‘Paradox of Knowledge’?Meno (to Socrates): “How are you going to

search for that (nature of virtue) when you do not know what it is? How will you recognize it?

Conversely: if you do know the attributes of something (Nature of virtue) why do you need to search for it?

Theory of AnamnesisResponse is Theory of AnamnesisThe soul is immortal and repeatedly

incarnatedKnowledge is in the soul ‘from eternity’ but..During each incarnation, knowledge is

forgottenWhat one perceives as learning is actually

process of rememberingTeacher as ‘Mid-wife?: aiding with birth of

knowledge

Plato’s PhaedoDevelops Theory of AnamnesisPresents a way of living that allows for this

remembered learning (anamnesis)Katharsis: cleansingThe body and its senses as main source of

error, defilement and illusion

Review Plato’s PhilosophyIdentify and explain Plato’s ontology,

epistemology, and theory of virtue

Wrapping up PlatoWhat are the key points to Plato’s ontology,

epistemology, and ethic?How does this shape and inform my

developing personal philosophy?

Plato’s OntologyBest illustrated in his Theory of Forms where

all objects (material, mental, spiritual) in this world are shadowy, imperfect reflections of ideal forms that exist on a higher plane of existence that are real, eternal, and universally true.

Just as ideal, perfect versions of Beauty, Justice, trees, Man, Woman exist, so to do idealized, Perfect versions of ourselves exist (Soul, or pneuma)

Plato’s EpistemologyBest represented by his Theory of Anamnesis. Eternal

Truth, Goodness, Beauty, Justice, etc. can be known primarily through the human power of reason and logic. Plato’s overall theory of education is one of uncovering the Good, the True, etc. through the power of reason. We are capable of recognizing imperfect versions of these perfect, idealized Forms because we have known them in our soul before and, in effect, “remember them” (anamnesis)

Plato further views the material body and its senses suspiciously, arguing that Truth, Goodness, Justice, etc. are discovered through the mind and its powers of reason, not our senses, which are sources of error, illusion, even defilement.

Plato’s EthicsReflected in both his Theory of Forms and

Theory of Anamnesis. A virtuous, ethical life is one that allows for this remembered learning of the Good to occur through regular, contemplation and Katharsis, or cleansing that resists overreliance on the senses.