1.1 Ancient Philosophy

• What did Plato and Aristotle think about how we can gain true knowledge ?

  Plato thought that true, eternal and unchanging knowledge cannot be gained empirically. Only through Priori reasoning. Aristotle however believed that we can gain true knowledge by experience
• Plato's Rationalism : Forms

  Plato thought our minds are trapped in a state of ignorance hence we aren't experiencing the world correctly and so cannot gain true knowledge. However, Plato believed in a true reality which was perfect, eternal and unchanging (Forms). True knowledge can only be gained from here.

  • The physical world holds imitations of Perfect Forms
  • Everything in the physical world is in a state of change

  (It is through our Priori reasoning that we know about the Forms)
• Plato's Rationalism : Allegory of the Cave

  Plato's Analogy of the Cave shows us the relation between the physical world and the Higher world of Forms. The Physical world blinds us from what is really important and finding out truths.

  • Prisoners - ordinary people without true knowledge
  • Shadow - illusion created by our senses
  • Journey - discovery of true knowledge
  • Cave - visible world
  • Sun - Form of the Good
• Aristotle's rejection of Plato

  A common reaction to Plato's Forms is that it lacks empirical evidence. However, Plato responds saying it's good that there isn't since it can't be trusted as it comes from the Imperfect Physical World

  Plato may again be criticised by showing that knowledge can successfully come from experience and Aristotle thought Plato's theory was unnecessary since it has no relation to experience
• Aristotle’s Prime Mover


  Aristotle applied the 4 causes to the universe and came up with the Prime Mover. Motion and the world being in a state of flux needed an explanation. The Prime Mover is the unmoved and Final cause of the Universe, directing things towards their Telos. Aristotle believed the universe to be eternal, hence it couldn’t be the Efficient Cause
• Newton's challenge to Aristotle's Prime Mover 


  An object stops moving when met by an equal and opposite reaction and not by a natural force
• Aristotle’s Empiricism : 4 Causes

  To go from cause to effect, something must change by going through the 4 causes : Material, Efficient, Formal, Final. Aristotle believed that change can be explained by these 4 causes allowing posteriori knowledge to understand the flux.Aristotle also believed that something was good once it had fulfilled its ‘telos’
• Critique of Aristotle


  Purpose is unscientific – Francis Bacon was instrumental in the development of modern science and criticised Aquinas saying that Purpose/Telos has no place in empirical science
• Plato’s Form of the Good + Hierarchy

  Plato illustrated the Form of the Good as the Sun allowing the Prisoner (us) to see the World of Forms, making it the highest Form. Below it are forms like Beauty and Justice
• Critique of Plato's Form of the Good + Hierarchy


  Plato believed understanding the Form of the Good makes it impossible to do wrong. However, Aristotle claims that knowing what is good isn't enough to make yourself become morally perfect. Aristotle uses evidence to suggest that no morally perfect person has ever been created
• Plato vs Aristotle

  Plato uses rationalism as he believes the physical world cannot give us knowledge whereas Aristotle uses empiricism to exemplify that the primary source of all knowledge is experience.

  Both offer valuable insights and understand the nature of reality however, both uses different starting points (Plato - priori and Aristotle - posteriori)
• Plato's thought

  Encourages people to look beyond the physical world to gain knowledge

  However, Forms are unclear and have no evidence

  Dawkins says that it makes no sense to speak of a world other than this

  Plato's rationalism can devalue the sensory world
• Aristotle's thought 


  Evidence in the physical world gives people confidence to look to scientific knowledge.

  However, he dismisses Plato's belief too easily and relies heavily on sense experience. Russel and Dawkins also believe the universe exists without a Purpose/Telos unlike Aristotle