Plato and Pascal both use metaphysics in most of their work. The questions they both are trying to answers is whether God exists or not. Plato published many books where he talked about metaphysics and broke down his theory of forms. In these writings, Plato explains metaphysics using questions like “What is there?” “What is reality?” Metaphysics focuses on the nature of reality, what is physically happening and why the way things are the way they are. He believes metaphysics can be physical and mental. Dualism was also a part of Plato’s metaphysics. He believed that the human body is made up of a soul and a body. The body dies because it is part of the physical world and the soul doesn’t, it lives ever after death. Plato believed that there were two different worlds; the physical world of man and the world of forms. In the theory of forms, material objects are unpredictable and unphysical in themselves. They correspond to an ideal, eternal, and unchallengeable form …show more content…
“Most excellent man, are you who are a citizen of Athens, the greatest of cities and the most famous for wisdom and power, not ashamed to care for the acquisition of wealth and for reputation and honor, when you neither care nor take thought for wisdom and truth and the perfection of your soul?” This is an example of metaphysics. This is the part after he has accepted his punishment and is explaining why but not really. “For I go about doing nothing else than urging you, young and old, not to care for your persons or your property more than for the perfection of your souls, or even so much; and I tell you that virtue does not come from money, but from virtue comes money and all other good things to man, both to the individual and to the state. Therefore I say to you, men of Athens, either do as Anytus tells you, or not, and either acquit me, or not, knowing that I shall not change my conduct even if I am…”(Apology
The first realm is the Physical world that we can observe with our senses. And second, is a world made of eternal “forms” or “ideas.” He believes that there exists another dimension where perfect templates exist. This means forms are mind-independent entities. Forms are independently existent whether we grasp them with our mind but do not depend on being grasped in order to exist. In the Allegory Plato compares the level of becoming to living in a cave and describes the ordeal necessary for the soul’s ascent from shadowy illusions to enlightenment. From just an opinion to an informed opinion to rationally based knowledge to
Plato’s view on existence can be understood by discussing his theory of Forms. The theory of Forms or Ideas is about the existence of ideas in higher form of reality, the existence of a reality inhabited by forms of all things and concepts. Plato used example of objects such as table and rock and concepts like Beauty and Justice to illustrate the notion of Forms. Plato further describes Forms as a being possessed by concepts. For example, Virtue has different characters; but they all have a common nature which makes them virtuous.
Thirdly, Plato signals his position on what his epistemology and metaphysics are in relation to his examples of the Divided Line and Allegory of the Cave. Epistemology is the study of knowledge and how it’s acquired and metaphysics is the nature of reality and the universe. Plato paints a clear picture of his metaphysics when he illustrates the idea of someone becoming exposed to knowledge/truth. For example, he states, “Finally I suppose he'd be able to see the sun not images of it in water or some alien place,
The Theory of Forms views a world of Forms that exists outside of time and space, where Beauty and the like exist unblemished by the changes and imperfections of the visible world. All the beauty in the world put together is the Form of Beauty. Plato himself was aware of the ambiguities and inconsistencies in his Theory of Forms, as is evident from the incisive criticism he makes of his own theory in the
Plato: When we discuss Forms we are not talking about something that is truly real but something that we would see or grasp intellectually. The idea of it is that what you are looking at may not be the true form of which you are looking at it. When you draw a circ...
Plato metaphysics were that there were Forms that make up the world. These Forms are what everything is based on. They are the blueprints that things in the changing world are base on. When talks about the Forms, he will talk about the Change Unchanged. The Change Unchanged is the being that started the universe.
He argues that non-physical forms or ideas represent the most accurate reality. There exists a fundamental opposition between in the world like the object as a concrete, sensible object and the idea or concept of the objects. Forms are typically universal concepts. The world of appearance corresponds to the body. The world of truth corresponds with the soul. According to Plato, for any conceivable thing or property there is a corresponding Form, a perfect example of that or property is a tree, house, mountain, man, woman, Table and Chair, would all be examples of existing abstract perfect Ideas. Plato says that true and reliable knowledge rests only with those who can comprehend the true reality behind the world of everyday experience. In order to perceive the world of the Forms, individuals must undergo a difficult
Plato’s concept was that a certain object could be better understood as an expression of a particular Idea. The Idea was considered an Archetype while the object expressing this archetype was a form. For example you may see a dog but it is not actually a dog but instead it is the form of the Archetype dogness which is the true perfect form. An example that Tarnas gives us of this concept is someone who is beautiful is only taking on the attribute of the absolute Form of
In Plato's view, the forms are objective and constant ideals, which are aspatial and atemporal, of concrete things, and it results in the separation of the intelligible world from the sensible world. Aristotle thinks that forms are not things outside of concrete things but the essence of being in concrete things. At the same time, it is the internal purpose of matters and can also promote the movement of them. Aristotle thinks that good has multiple meanings. For example, the good of character is virtues, and the good of time is a good opportunity.
Our senses can correctly perceive the natural forms. Basically, reality became a debate between Plato's two worlds and Aristotle's single world reality. Secondly, Plato and Aristotle contrast in their view of what knowledge we possess at birth. Plato supports the doctrine of Innatism, which claims that we enter this world with prior knowledge. All people possess immortal souls; therefore, the knowledge acquired in one life can be transferred into the next reincarnation.
When thinking critically and analyzing each of the philosophers we must consider both a strength and a weakness about each of the differing ideas of metaphysics. First let us consider Plato, Plato believes in the Forms of things and how we always know them, but we know them from a previous life, which is a type of innatism, which is inborn. Such that, dualism is the material body and the immaterial soul, and that the soul is trapped in the body waiting to ...
What is meant by Metaphysics? Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of reality, including the relationship between mind and matter, substance and attribute, fact and value.
According to Plato, his Theory of Forms states perfection only lives in the realm of thought. There only exists one of every ideal and the rest is just a copy. This one creation is called a form, the most flawless representation of an idea. In the physical world everything is a copy of these forms and all copies are imperfect. Plato believed in two worlds; the intelligible world and the illusionistic world. The intelligible world is where everything is unchanging and eternal. We can only grasp the intelligible world with our mind. It is the world of ideas and not senses. A place where there are perfect forms of the things we know on Earth. According to Plato everything in the world we live in is an illusion. All objects are only shadows of their true forms. His theory further states every group of objects that have the same defying properties must have an ideal form. For example, in the class of wine glasses there must be one in particular that is the ideal wine glass. All others would fall under this ideal form.
Despite this range of themes and subjects, metaphysics borders on the nature of reality. Plato’s particular sort of metaphysics is more philosophical than scientific. It does not provide precise answers and mathematical as well as scientific concepts. Instead, it encourages exploration and
When Socrates was brought to trial for the corruption of the city’s youth he knew he had done nothing wrong. He had lived his life as it should be lead, and did what he ne...