...three general branches of philosophy/what are the basic philosophical questions? 5. Explain the meaning and significance of “the arché question” 6. The being and becoming dilemma in early Greek philosophy 7. Explain Zeno’s paradoxes 8. Is total flux chaotic? Explain the nature of change in the system of Heraclitus 9. Define dialectic 10. Virtue in Greek philosophy. Explain the meaning of knowledge in Socrates’s ethics 11. Explain “Eutyfro dilemma” 12. Plato’s theory of ideas: ideas and sensual objects – differences and similarities 13. Plato’s theory of ideas: the conception of participation 14. Plato’s theory of ideas: the allegory of the cave 15. Plato’s theory of ideas: the ideal state 16. Aristotle: syllogisms 17.Hylomorphism: substance and its components 18. Aristotle: the four causes: what is the sense of final cause? 19. Aristotle: the theory of virtue (Golden Mean) 20. Aristotle: what does it mean to be a political animal? 21. The existence of God: ontological argument as formulated by St. Anselm 22. The existence of God: ontological argument as formulated by Descartes (deceitful demon and “Matrix”) 23. The existence of God: Pascal’s wager 24: Theodicy: how to explain suffering and injustice? 25. Descartes: the Cartesian method – its main assumptions and functions 26. Descartes: cogito and the mind/body problem 27. The theory of substance: monism and monistic theories ...
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...Aristotle was a student of Plato’s who disagreed with his mentor over the place of public speaking in Athenian life • born in Macedonia about the time Plato was opening the Academy in Athens • age seven went to Athens and entered the Academy--stayed on as teacher; left 20 yrs later on Plato’s death in 347 • Was ineligible to inherit Academy because he wasn’t Athenian • believed only scientific demonstration and the analysis of formal logic could arrive at transcendent truth • Dialectic and rhetoric form 2 major divisions in his view of human inquiry but they deal with subjects on which true knowledge isn’t available • Rhetoric: making persuasion possible • for Aristotle, rhetoric as the discovery in each case of the available means of persuasion--this discovery requires scientific investigation o in terms of speech situations, he focused on civic affairs • forensic speaking considers guilt or innocence—judicial speech centering on accusation and defense • deliberative speaking considers future policy—political speech centering on future policy • epideictic speaking considers praise and blame—ceremonial speech ▪ Aristotle classified rhetoric as the counterpart of dialectic o dialectic is on-on-one conversation; rhetoric is one person addressing the many o dialectic searches for truth; rhetoric demonstrates existing truth o dialectic answers general philosophical...
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...A FEW NOTES ON SOCRATES AND THE SOPHISTS Sophists and Socrates both used the elenchus, a method of questioning which is something like ‘cross-examination.’ The Socratic elenchus eventually gave rise to the dialectic, the idea that through question and answer, through opposing ideas, through modifying one’s position and throwing out false opinions (doxa) truth might be pursued. It requires the searching out and bringing forth of true opinions in order to guide the interlocutor towards right thinking and a knowledge of the true forms. Although Socrates, in the Apologia, claims to have discovered no other truth than that he knows no truth, the Socrates of Plato’s earlier dialogues is of the opinion that truth is obtainable by use of the elenchus. SOPHISTS - while they use the elenchus they do not develop a dialectic aimed at leading people towards truth. Some practice eristic, flashy and ostentatious employment of verbal tricks, capping an argument or trapping an opponent without regard to searching out truth. So, among all the other forms of decadence which Aristophanes points to in Athenian society at this time, might be added the decadence of philosophical argumentation. SOPHISTS were mainly outsiders, not Athenians. They came offering an education suited to the creation of a competititve public sphere which seemed to threaten the Old Education, the traditional mythopoetic education based on the poets (Homer, Hesiod, Pindar), religious ritual, and cultic initiation...
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...I. THE THEORY OF THE IDEAS AND PLATO’S ONTOLOGY I. 1. The ontological dualism The theory of the Ideas is the base of Plato’s philosophy: the Ideas are not only the real objects ontologically speaking, but they are the authentically objects of knowledge epistemologically speaking. From the point of view of ethics and politics, they are the foundation of the right behaviour, and anthropologically speaking they are the base of Plato’s dualism and they even allow him demonstrate the immortality of the soul. Plato defends a clear ontological dualism in which there are two types of realities or worlds: the sensible world and the intelligible world or, as he calls it, the world of the Ideas. The Sensible World is the world of individual realities, and so is multiple and constantly changing, is the world of generation and destruction; is the realm of the sensible, material, temporal and space things. On the contrary, the Intelligible World is the world of the universal, eternal and invisible realities called Ideas (or "Forms"), which are immutable and do not change because they are not material, temporal or space. Ideas can be understood and known; they are the authentic reality. The Ideas or Forms are not just concepts or psychic events of our minds; they do exist as objective and independent beings out of our consciences. They are also the origin of sensible things, but although they are the authentic beings, Plato, unlike Parmenides of Elea, do not completely...
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...Friendship in the Lysis Llasua Aguero-Witte 11/2/2015 Plato is well known for his writing method that revolves around dialogue through a dialectic mode of speech and listening. With that being said, the form of Plato’s writings, the dialogue form, carries difficulties that have no other purpose than to reflect the circumstances of our own lives. Comprehension, and being comprehended, is not easy. However, the dialogue form is important in that it invites further dialogue, which allows for a more intrinsic dialogue with ourselves. I do not use the word monologue because the relationship and cooperation of our ideas, intuitions, conceptualizations, and consciousness does not assume what could be called a dogmatic form, but instead requires constant revision and evaluation, both in regards to our own basic beliefs and our persistent strivings to...
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...Plato's Middle Period Metaphysics and Epistemology 1.0. The Background to Plato’s Metaphysics The author Silverman, Allan (2014) of this article titled Plato’s Middle Period Metaphysics and Epistemology wrote about how Plato first began to annotate his own points on metaphysics and epistemology. As we all knew, Plato’s definition of things are heavily influenced by his teachers Heraclitus (c.540 B.C.-480-70) Parmenides (c.515 B.C.-449-40) and especially Socrates (470 B.C-399). However only remnants of the writings of Heraclitus and Parmenides and also nothing left of Socrates. The only evidence that we ever had is Plato’s depiction of his teacher that is the dialog he wrote in his writings about Socrates’s views. Sometimes, it is as if it was Socrates’s writing not Plato because of the many things about Socrates he wrote. Some had said that it was his own views but instead he used Socrates as the speaker. This article also wrote about Plato’s predecessors’ views of the concept that influences his definition of Metaphysics and Epistemology which are Being and Forms. Firstly, Parmenides which he said there is one and only in this world and that is being. The truth is it never change and will never be. Sadly, there is not much we could conclude from Parmenides’s point of view. His concept of being has become Plato’s based of doctrine of Forms. As contrast to Parmenides’s definition of physical world, Heraclitus is the advocate of change. He said that the ordinary objects...
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...Plato and Play Taking Education Seriously in Ancient Greece Armand D’Angour In this article, the author outlines Plato’s notions of play in ancient Greek culture and shows how the philosopher’s views on play can be best appreciated against the background of shifting meanings and evaluations of play in classical Greece. Play—in various forms such as word play, ritual, and music—proved central to the development of Hellenic culture. In ancient Greece, play (paidia) was intrinsically associated with children (paides). However, both children and play assumed a greater cultural significance as literacy—and, consequently, education (paideia)— developed during the classical age of 500–300 BCE. Uniquely among ancient thinkers, Plato recognized that play influenced the way children developed as adults, and he proposed to regulate play for social ends. But Plato’s attitude toward play was ambivalent. Inclined to consider play an unworthy activity for adults, he seemed to suggest that intellectual play in some form, as demonstrated in the dialectical banter of Socrates, could provide a stimulus to understanding. Key words: education in ancient Greece; play and child development; play and education; play and Plato; Socratic dialectic Among various plausible misquotations that surface from time to time is a piece of popular wisdom attributed to Plato to the effect that “you can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” It was quoted by Alaska Governor...
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...During the the time that the ground-breaking Pathways to Philosophy distance learning program has been running, students from around the world have produced many fine examples of philosophical writing. Reproduced here are essay portfolios which have received the Associate Award, as well as dissertations successfully submitted for the Fellowship Award. For shorter essays by students taking the six Pathways to Philosophy programs, follow the links at Pathways to Philosophy: the six programs. All work is copyright of the original authors. No material may be transmitted or reproduced without permission. For further information, e-mail klempner@fastmail.net. Geoffrey Klempner Director of Studies [pic] Associate Award • Paul Meakin • Mary Jennings • Andrew Watson • Kenneth Head • Stuart Hopkins • Tony Bellotti • Oliver Leech • Alan Bradnam • Shirley Hughes • Terence Kuch • Fr. Seamus Mulholland • John Eberts • Gordon Kennedy • Justin Woods • Neil Munro • John Dudley • Samuel Thorpe • Jürgen Lawrenz Fellowship Award • Tony Fahey • Martin Jenkins • Peter Jones • George Brooks • Samuel Michaelides • Mike Finch • Rachel Browne • Jürgen Lawrenz back [pic] Paul Meakin: Associate Award Essay One Heidegger, Dasein and the quest for authentic Being-in-the-world Essay Two 'I am Condemned to be free':...
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...In “Sailing to Byzantium” an old man faces the problem of old age, of death, and of regeneration, and gives his decision. Old age, he tells us, excludes a man from the sensual joys of youth; the world appears to belong completely to the young, it is no place for the old; indeed, an old man is scarcely a man at all—he is an empty artifice, an effigy merely, of a man; he is a tattered coat upon a stick. This would be very bad, except that the young also are excluded from something; rapt in their sensuality, they are ignorant utterly of the world of the spirit. Hence if old age frees a man from sensual passion, he may rejoice in the liberation of the soul; he is admitted into the realm of the spirit; and his rejoicing will increase according as he realizes the magnificence of the soul. But the soul can best learn its own greatness from the great works of art; hence he turns to those great works, but in turning to them, he finds that these are by no means mere effigies, or monuments, but things which have souls also; these live in the noblest element of God’s fire, free from all corruption; hence he prays for death, for release from his mortal body; and since the insouled monuments exhibit the possibility of the soul’s existence in some other matter than flesh, he wishes reincarnation, not now in a mortal body, but in the immortal and changeless embodiment of art. There are thus the following terms, one might say, from which the poem suspends: the condition of the young, who are...
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...Daniel Vicinanzo Plato’s Republic: A Guide to Education The Republic of Plato is a dialogue in which Plato’s teacher Socrates outlines his ideal city. The dialogue first sets out to answer one very important question: what is justice? The story begins with Socrates in the presence of several people, both friends and enemies, to whom he poses the question, ‘What is justice?’ Socrates then goes on to strike down every theory proposed and offers no definition of his own. This brings about the discussion of the ideal city. During this discussion, it is decided that the citizens of the city will be divided into three classes: the auxiliaries, the producers, and the guardians. The guardians are to be a class of citizens above the rest. They will be the defenders and rulers of the city and, therefore, must be the best of the best. This essay will summarize the education that Socrates advocates for the guardians of his city, and then discuss analyze the education of the guardian class in relation to that of Socrates’ own Socratic method to see if Socrates truly believes in the city he is creating. The first mention of the guardians’ education comes after Glaucon wishes to make the city far more luxurious, as he has begun having too much fun making up his own city and cannot imagine his ideal city as austere as the one Socrates has been describing. When Socrates begins adding some of these...
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...intelligibility within which all practices are communicated, negotiated or challenged (Michel Foucault, 1926-1984) In social sciences - an institutionalised way of thinking, a social boundary defining what can be said about a specific topic Power relations are immanent to discourses, the discourse is conceived as the ideological superstructure. ‘Polymorphic tactics’ of discourses: specific discourses are not tied to the subject, rather the subject is a social construction of the discourse. Search for objectivity/ legitimating Plato’s and Socrates debates: what is real and how do we know what we infer about the real is true? Empirical evidence based upon observations and experimentation in the physical world is conducive to the verification of scientific judgments, and adherence to the rules of deduction and the process of inductive reasoning implements the determination of the validity and soundness of scientific arguments and conclusions. Whether independent propositions exist as do the objects of objectivism, or as the timeless truths concerning an object once it has become the intended object of a mental act, their reason for being would appear to be essential only to the process of discovery. Taking an objective approach may not always be relevant, particularly in cases where it is impossible to be objective either because the relevant facts and viewpoints necessary are lacking, or because it is the subjective opinion or response that happens to be important...
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...Aristotle’s Rhetoric as the reader’s foundation. Overview of the Rhetoric Aristotle believed that his Rhetoric would be most useful to politicians and lawyers, since they had to count on persuading an audience most often (Aristotle, 1954). Rhetoric, as defined by Aristotle, is “the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion” (Aristotle, 1954, p. 24). With this broad definition, many readers become confused as to what Aristotle meant by rhetoric. However, Aristotle set up this definition in order to allow his Rhetoric to be used in any persuasive situation, as long as the orator knows the foundation of Rhetoric. Aristotle (1954) claims that “Rhetoric is the counterpart of Dialectic” (p. 19) and that both “belong to no definite science” (p. 19). Dialectic can be described as a precursor to logos that uses concise declarations with no unrelated components (Barilli, 1989). In other words, it is an absolute truth which is presented through appropriate style and delivery (Barilli, 1989). However, Aristotle didn’t rely on logos alone (Barilli, 1989). He crafted the proofs of persuasion calling them ethos, logos, and pathos. Ethos appeals to the speaker’s credibility, in which the audience portrays the orator based on the speaker’s presentation of him/herself. Logos is the appeal to logic to seek the truth or “an ¬apparent truth” (Aristotle, 1954, p. 25). Pathos is the appeal to emotions which allows the speaker to bring out the feelings in an audience through...
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...TABLE OF CONTENTS No Pages Acknowledgement Introduction Question 1: Greek Logic and Metaphysis in Critical Thinking 1.1 Background of Socrates 1.2 Contribution of Socrates 1.3 Background of Plato 1.4 Contribution of Plato Question 2: Islamic Contribution in Critical Thinking 2.1 Background of Ibn Sina (Avicenna) 2.2 Contribution of Ibn Sina (Avicenna) 2.3 Background of Al-Kindi 2.4 Contribution of Al-Kindi Conclusion References Acknowledgement First of all, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to those who helped and provided me the possibility to complete my assignment. First and foremost, a special thanks to my Critical Thinking’s lecturer, Mr. Krishnan for the valuable guidance and advices regarding my coursework. I would like to thank him for his willingness to teach me the parts that I don’t understand and showing me some good examples that are related to my coursework. Secondly, I would like to thank my parents for giving me support in terms of words of encouragement and financial assistance to complete my assignment. Without their encouragement, I won’t be able to finish my assignment in time. Furthermore, I would like to thank the authority of Legenda Education Group for providing me with a good environment and facilities to complete this project. Also, I would like to thank librarian which help me to find books that related to the topic of my project. Last but not least, special thanks to my...
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...Philosophy Paper Methodology. The method of argumentation and (sometimes) proof used in philosophy is derived from and is essentially a refinement of the so-called Socratic Method, also known as Platonic dialectic (derived from Plato’s dialogues & refined over the centuries). It consists not merely in reporting on what others have said or argued, but in examining their claims to test them for validity, truth, soundness, and reliability of generalization and so on. It involves deductive methods, reductio ad absurdum or the selective application of relevant counterexamples, analogical and inductive procedures. It requires the examination of ideas, reasons, arguments and experience, and evidence drawn from various sources. It even involves experimental reasoning in the form of thought experiments. The overall format is that of the hypothetical-deductive method of developing a thesis by proposing a hypothesis, deducing the consequences that logically follow from that hypothesis and then testing them against other well-established beliefs, experience, data, and the results of the analyses and interpretations of a thesis by other scholars (secondary sources). Below follows a brief outline of some key steps to follow in executing a genuine philosophical analysis of a thesis and it argument(s). First a flow chart: 1. Thesis statement – a brief statement of the problem, why you think it’s a problem, & how you plan to approach it (these elements should...
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...All in all, Aristotle’s philosophy made an astounding influence. In fact, it is in Aristotle’s Philosophy that Alexander the Great, which the former tutored in 347 BCE, laid down the foundations of the latter’s empire. Throughout Alexander’s rule, the influence of Aristotle, his mentor, can be seen in the former’s skillful and diplomatic handling of difficult problems throughout his career. When Alexander became a king, he had set forth on a Persian expedition to expand his empire. Perhaps, it is the experience of the encounter between people’s that played a huge role in the development of the idea of cosmopolitanism, the idea that a man is a citizen of the world. “Aristotle's writings, like Plato's, have influenced virtually every avenue...
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