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Philosophy Test One

Terms in this set (58)

Who was thought to be the father of Philosophy?
Thales
Who said that creation was a mistake and would be made right.
Pre-socratic Anaximander
What did Anaximander call the foundation of all reality?
indefinite/boundless
Which philosopher said that all life came from the sea?
Anaximander
What were pre-socratic philosophers interested in?
Questions about nature of things/ ontology, the study of being, they also looked for rational explanations for things aside from myths.
What was Thales contribution to philosophy?
he thought that water is the basic unity/similarity between all things.
What was the problem for Pythagoras?
Ultimate reality is abstract and rational. All things consist of numbers.
what does pythagoras say the best thing for the soul is?
Studying math is the best purifier of the soul
What is the most significant contribution pythagoras made to philosophy
the concept of form;means limit or to measure
What did pythagoras say the unlimited is?
matter/ stuff out of whih everything was consituted.
What did pythagoras say that limit is
form/princicple of limit. the pythaorean princile of of harmony
What is heraclitus problem?
explaining change
Heraclitus says that all reality is in
Flux: you cannot step twice in the same river". (This concept applies to everything)
Hereclitus says that reality(one and many)
is ultimately comprised of "fire"- this can be interpreted metaphorically
he says Flux/Fire is
the chief operational principle of change
who says fire is the chief principle of change
heraclitus
what did heraclitus think was the universal law
change is not haphazard movement it is a product of gods universal logos(unity) in the diversity(flux/fire)
what did the notion of logos lay the foundation for
natural law theory
How did parmenides feel about herraclitus's notion of change? how did he change this idea?
he rejects it and says the concept of change is"logically absurd" he says that change is an illusion.
how did atomism originate?
an attempt to overcome the consequences of Parmenides denial of change. They we interested in giving a coherent theory of motion and space
what did democritus claim?
claimed that all things consisted of Atoms, and Atoms are:
Indivisible 2. Eternal (Parmenides' Being)
Their ontology held that nature consists of two things/states:
Space/vacuum (allows for motion and change)
Atoms( the object we exper.)
Atoms move around and eventually collide giving form to the things we experiences.
what were the sophits
paid traveling educatures
what did they notice as they traveled
that cultures were different in there customs, moral thought and governments
what did the sophists specialize in
teaching of rhetoric, the ability to win arguments, and prepared students in the areas of Law and politics.
the sophists claimed that truth is
relative to the culture, time or place is known as Relativism.
what did the sophists believe that subjectivism is
the notion that all truth is ultimately determined by the individual. Again, there is no objective or universal truth that can anchor moral and epistemic claims
who was protagoras
was a sophist that made the claim that "Man is the measure of all things, of things that are, that they are, and of things that are not, that they are not.He can also be interrupted as saying that knowledge is measured by what we perceive and each of us perceives things in different ways. This gives rise to the philosophical problem:
*Appearance v. Reality.
Who is thrasymachus?
is a sophist that is found in Plato's Republic.
In the dialogue, Thrasy. Claims that the unjust individual is superior to that of the just. The unjust person unconstrained by the law or morality is able to out do the just in the acquisition of wealth and power "Unjust person is superior in character and intelligence". Later he claims that justice is in the interest of the strong: Might makes right
During socrates military campaign he received
massages/warnings from this inner voice: Daimon(Spirit).
Where did socrates look too uncover the truth
inward
what did socrates say his chief concern is
the "care of the soul" in order to make the "soul as good as possible". His guiding principle then is "Know Thyself," which is concerned with:
1. Human Nature 2. Truth 3. Goodness
what did socrates interpret the oracles reading
He was the wisest because he realized and admitted his own ignorance
what does The Socratic method/Dialectic consist of
guided questions in order to elicit the truth from the individual.
what does socrates think the role of a philosopher is
to draw the truth from the individual rather then "Fill an empty vessel
where does socrates say that truth is found
within the psyche(soul, reason/mind); that is, the individual is already impregnated with the truth. This is why he likens himself to the "midwife"
how does socrates belief on truth differ from the sophists
belief that truth is relative to the individual: subjectivism.
-Socrates thinks that though the truth is found within the individual, that thru the dialectic method(Socratic method, the truth will be uncovered as a universal concept or definition. That is, the truth will be fixed and applicable at all times and places
What does socrates think about someone who does wrong
that they believe what they are doing is right and if they do something wrong it is simply because they are not aware that it is wrong
what does socrates think happens to someone who gets away with wrong doing
he believes that although they got away with it they are still harming the soul
why does socrates say its important to know yourself
if we do not know what is in the best interest of the 'soul,' then we will be in a state of ignorance(unable to determine what the good life is).
For Socrates this occurs when we live the "unexamined life".
what did plato think of democracy
Plato thought that democracy was like a "mob" that is driven by the passions/appetites; thus, irrational and easily swayed by the rhetorical skills of the Sophists
what did plato think of the average citizen that lacks the virtues wisdom courage and temperance
that are incapable of forming a just society within a democracy. The trial of Socrates demonstrated for Plato the consequences when justice is detached from wisdom.
what did plato need to overcome/ refute both skepticism and realitivism
an anchor
what did plato thik that knowledge must be
1. Infallible, without error, and 2. Corresponded to what is Real/Forms
what does plato believe about knowledge derived from the senses
is relative(and not free from error) to the individual. This leads him to conclude that the world of sensory experiences will not provide him with the anchor/foundation for his epistemology
what does plato think about belief that happens to be true alone
it does not consitute knowledg
What are platos set conditions for knowledge
1. Justified 2. True 3. Belief
What are the ways that we come to know/ understand from plato
1. Senses, the ability to see, hear... the actual physical world/objects in which we live.
2. Reason, the ability to comprehend truths of math, logic and, for Plato, the universal or essential nature of a thing.
what does plato believe is "true knowledge"
is the knowledge of the Universal/Forms. Why? This provides Plato with a rational explanation of how knowledge is possible. Reason alone will give Plato the "Anchor," and this is the Realm of Being(Parmenides
what is platos doctrine of the forms
1.The divided line
2. The Simile of the Sun
3. Allegory of the cave.
What does the divided line give us
The divided line gives us Plato's theory of knowledge and metaphysics of hierarchy.
what is a simile of a comparsion
A simile is a comparison that is made to illuminate how two different things are alike
explain allegory
For Allegory, think back to the Parables found in the Gospels: A story designed to convey a greater/hidden truth.
what are platos four stages of cognition
what does the world in the cave represent
shadows/ ignorance
visual relm
what does the the world in the sun represent
the intelligible world the good/ knowledge rational realm
what is the highest form of reality and knowlede
the good
what is the good to plato
the universal cause of all things right and beautiful the source of truth and reason
what does the fire in the cave represent
...
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