What Are Universals and Do Universals Really Exist?

1031 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Essay on universalism

In this essay I will be discussing the thought-provoking theory of universals and be asking whether this idea of an invisible yet prominent realm of reality can claim to have a place in existence. I shall firstly examine Plato's dialogue of Parmendides and see if a partition can be drawn between the forms and universals. I shall then move on to the opposing argument which invariably denies such dimensions in reality before reaching my conclusion. The discussion between Socrates and Parmenides sets out to outline the differences of like and unlike things as a way of highlighting the stark conrast between the natuaral world in which factual truths are known and the transcendental world in which universal forms reside. In order to progress further a distinction between forms and universals must be made. Universals are not ideal forms of behaviour or characteristics that seek approval, they are as they are and not manipulatable. In 133e Parmenides uses the example of the slave and master in which he states that a master of slaves is not a master of mastery itself or the slavement of a slave does not explain slavery itself. The relationship between the two depicts a form of relation that might have been thought to acceptable at the time or a favourable idea by some but it does not go beyond that in that it does not bare any resemblance to mastery or slavery. Thus universals assume a hierachicial position because they do not concern themselves with how things may or not be percieved, their existence is beyond our comprehesion scope. Forms, on the other hand, allow us to sculpture prefered likes that are then universally shared such the justice in form now which would be comparably different now from a time when slavery and mastery ... ... middle of paper ... ...ace as they are believed to do so then I doubt I'm alone. But if they must instantiated in order to be realised then there are many instances in which universal truths are felt and realised then there are countless things that are simultaneously agreed upon such the idea of beauty. However, even this idea of beauty falls trap to what's 'in vogue'. There's no denying trends of all types have come in and out fashion, extending from slavery to the fluctuating matter of dress size. Who's to say this is all down to one thing - nothing ever changes in the case of universals but everything is up for review in terms of taste and desire. I conclude that although universal properties such as squareness or likeness exist they have not been proven to be anything other than intrinsically owned or shared values, thus cannot be claimed by a mystical outside source such the universe.

Show More
Related

  • Meno's Paradox

    2022 Words  | 5 Pages

    It is thought that Meno's paradox is of critical importance both within Plato's thought and within the whole history of ideas. It's major importance is that for the first time on record, the possibility of achieving knowledge from the mind's own resources rather than from experience is articulated, demonstrated and seen as raising important philosophical questions.

    Read More

  • Four Arguments For The World Of Life In Plato's Phaedo

    1217 Words  | 3 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Plato's Doctrine of Recollection

    412 Words  | 1 Pages

    Whereas objects in our world might be more or less equal to each other, the Equal is perfect and stable, existing with other perfect and stable entities in a world of 'being' rather than in our world of 'becoming' where everything is imperfect and changeable. Plato called all imperfect and changeable entities 'particulars' to differentiate them from the Forms -- the unalterable and perfect 'universals'.

    Read More

  • Plato and the Forms

    512 Words  | 2 Pages

    Plato’s notion of the Forms vs. the physical realm is quite and interesting topic. I believe something very similar to what Plato thinks about the Forms and our physical reality. Plato says that there is nothing that is perfect in this reality that we live in. And the Forms are the perfect ideals or thoughts that we are striving to achieve throughout our lives. Plato says it is impossible to reach the Forms in our current reality and that it is only possible to achieve perfect knowledge and truth after our soul leaves our body and goes to the next realm where we can become or attain the Forms.

    Read More

  • Platos "The Symposium"

    2183 Words  | 5 Pages

    Plato’s idea that there was a perfect world of ideas affected this pieces subject and the

    Read More

  • The Unmoved Mover: God in Aristotle’s Metaphysics

    1471 Words  | 3 Pages

    For millennia, human beings have pondered the existence of supreme beings. The origin of this all-too-human yearning for such divine entities stems in part from our desire to grasp the truth of the cosmos we inhabit. One part of this universe physically surrounds us and, at the end of our lives, consumes us entirely, and so we return from whence we came. Yet there is another, arguably more eternal, part of the cosmos that, in some ways, is separable from the transient, material world we so easily perceive, but that, in other ways, is inextricably linked to it by unexplored, divinable forces. The argument of Aristotle’s Metaphysics is not that this worldview is provable or disprovable; the mere fact we are able to reason about abstract objects without having to perceive them is evidence enough of this order.

    Read More

  • The Reliability of Heidegger’s Reading of Plato’s Gigantomachia

    3630 Words  | 8 Pages

    ABSTRACT: At issue is the reliability of Heidegger’s contention that Greek thinking, especially Plato’s, was constricted by an unthought "pre-ontology." "The meaning of being" supposedly guiding and controlling Greek ontology is "Being = presence." This made "the question of the meaning of ousia itself" inaccessible to the Greeks. Heidegger’s Plato’s Sophist is his most extensive treatment of a single dialogue. To test his own reliability, he proposes "to demonstrate, by the success of an actual interpretation of [the Gigantomachia], that this sense of Being [as presence] in fact guided [Plato’s] ontological questioning . . .". I will show Heidegger’s strategy in connecting what he takes to be Plato’s naive pre-ontology — Being = Presence — to the ontology of the Gigantomachia — Being = Power. I will show that Heidegger blatantly misreads the text to make the connection: he completely misses the distinction between bodies and bodiless things. The text makes sense, I will show, if and only if its explicit ontology — Being = Power — is its implicit pre-ontology. Plato wrote his text not to discuss, but to exemplify, Heidegger’s ontology-preontology distinction. He wrote the Gigantomachia for Heidegger, but Heidegger missed it.

    Read More

  • Plato on the Existence of Negative Forms

    4238 Words  | 9 Pages

    The question of the origin and nature of evil in the world has preoccupied philosophers throughout history. The ancient philosopher Plato does not directly address this question in his writings, but it can be argued that the logic of his theory of forms demands the existence of forms that are negative in meaning, such as the evil and the bad. When discussing his theory of imitation, Plato alludes to the principle that whenever there are many things of the same nature, there is one form for that nature. In several passages, Plato makes mention of many negative things. It can be debated, however, whether or not the negative has a positive ontological character of its own for which there can be a form. The several senses in which an object can be considered negative must first be distinguished before the texts of Plato can be analyzed. It will be shown that, although Plato makes references in the Republic to a common nature amongst many negative things, the supposition of a negative form is not in harmony with the hierarchal structure of forms that depends on the good, which is also presented in the Republic. A solution to this problem will be presented and analyzed.

    Read More

  • The Argument of Dualism

    1030 Words  | 3 Pages

    . Its most famous defender is Descartes, who argues that as a subject of conscious thought and experience, he cannot consist simply of spatially extended matter. His essential nature must be non-m...

    Read More

  • Debunking Ethnocentric Claims on Universalism

    1009 Words  | 3 Pages

    Furthermore, Seyla Benhabib, a Turkish-American philosopher and Professor of Political Science at Yale University, combats the claim of scholars, like Mohanty, that universalism is ethnocentric. While some intellectuals believe that universalism is a concept that the West has internationally promoted without considering other cultures that may differ from the West, Benhabib strongly disagrees. First, Benhabib puts forth the idea that other cultures have been and are compatible with the West. Like Nussbaum, she believes that our cultures are not as different as we have come to believe. She states that universal legal principles have been created as a product of all cultures in all areas of the world feeding off one another. Those who believe

    Read More

  • Immanuel Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason

    1389 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...nd this is the result of the unity of synthesis of imagination and apperception. The unity of apperception which is found in all the knowledge is defined by Kant as affinity because it is the objective ground of knowledge. Furthermore, all things with affinity are associable and they would not be if it was not for imagination because imagination makes synthesis possible. It is only when I assign all perceptions to my apperception that I can be conscious of the knowledge of those perceptions. This understanding of the objects, also known as Faculty of Rules, relies on the sense of self and is thus, the source of the laws of nature.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Plato's Theory Of Forms

    1307 Words  | 3 Pages

    To Live as A Monster or Die as A Good Man: An analysis of Plato’s Theory of Forms

    Read More

  • Criticism Of Plato's Theory Of Forms

    1020 Words  | 3 Pages

    Plato’s obsession with eternal forms or true ‘ideas’ let to complete ignorance of changes in nature. He turned his back to the sensory world and shut his eyes to everything we see around.

    Read More

  • Boethius Problem Of Universals

    2040 Words  | 5 Pages

    My article is about Boethius’ problem of universals wherein the sense of this topic is to give emphasis on what should be God’s category, is it universal or particular? According to Boethius, universal is synonymous with the word general for it describes a whole of individuals, is accompanied through thinking and only exist in our minds. On the other hand, the individual things or particulars are those that exist outside of our minds that is specific or certain and is accompanied by the sense of sight. In the middle of Boethius problem of universals he came up with a question of, does the universals only exist in our minds or there is a thing outside

    Read More

  • Elements Of Plato And Jalal Din Rumi

    802 Words  | 2 Pages

    According to Plato, the familiar world of objects which surrounds us, and which we apprehend by our senses, is not independent and self sufficient. Indeed, it is not the real world, because it is dependent upon another world, the realm of pure forms or ideas, which can be apprehended only by reason and not by our bodily sense perceptions. This world of forms being changeless and eternal, alone constitutes reality. It is the world of essence, unity and universality, whereas the physical world is characterized by perpetual change and decay. (Habib, 21)

    Read More

More about What Are Universals and Do Universals Really Exist?

Open Document