Ancient Philosophy

• Plato's beliefs: Rationalist, A priori, rejects observation, truth = eternal, the mind is immortal, the body is mortal
• Aristotle's beliefs: Empiricist, A posteriori, rejects rationalism, everything has purpose/telos
• Plato's Theory of Forms: Form of the Good overrules all, non-physical, necessary to access truth, physical world is false/ignorant, Realm of Forms is true reality
• Hierarchy of the Forms: 1- Form of the Good (Reveals truth, overrules), 2- Ideals/Concepts, 3- The Forms, 4- Particulars, 5- Physical world, shadows (not illuminated by the good)
• Analogy of the Cave (story): Shadows cast on wall are seen as sole reality/truth, cast by puppeteers, upward climb to surface where true world resides, one man escapes and reveals truth, others refuse to believe him - kill him
• Analogy of the Cave (meaning): Prisoners are humanity, upward climb represents struggle of the pursuit of knowledge, above world illuminated by sun (Form of Good), criticism on Socrates' death (others rejected/killed him because he told truth)
• Aristotle's Four causes: Material Cause - what it is made from, Formal Cause - its shape or structure, Efficient Cause - how it came about, Final Cause - why it exists
• Aristotle's Four Causes (meaning): Describes everything in existence, used to help explain our existence/purpose
• Aristotle's Prime Mover: Everything needs an Efficient Cause, infinate regression is not possible, everything can't come from nothing, the Prime Mover must exist
• Aristotle's Prime Mover (meaning): Must be unchangeable, unmovable, eternal, and transcendant, causing movement through attraction, can't interact