Philosophy of Religion

• Who was Heraclitus and what was his view on knowledge?


  Heraclitus was an ancient Greek philosopher who cast doubt on the possibility of gaining knowledge.
• What does Heraclitus mean by saying “a man never steps into the same river twice”?


  This means that both the man and the river change, indicating that the world is in a state of flux.
• What challenge does Heraclitus pose regarding knowledge?


  He questions how we can gain knowledge if everything is constantly changing.
• What is Plato's rationalism?


  Plato's rationalism is the view that knowledge can only be gained a priori, not a posteriori.
• How does the Allegory of the Cave illustrate Plato's rationalism?


  The Allegory of the Cave shows prisoners mistaking shadows for reality, illustrating that we cannot gain knowledge from experience.
• What do the forms represent in Plato's theory?


  The forms are perfect, eternal, and unchanging representations of the everyday things we experience.
• How does Plato view empirical evidence?


  Plato believes empirical evidence is just shadows on the wall of the cave and is not a valid source of knowledge.
• What is Aristotle's critique of Plato's rationalism?


  Aristotle argues that we can gain knowledge from experience and evidence, which Plato discounts.
• How did Aristotle's theory contribute to modern science?


  Aristotle's theory led to modern science by emphasizing the importance of studying causal processes to gain knowledge.
• What is the hierarchy of forms in Plato's rationalism?

  The hierarchy includes the form of the good at the top, followed by higher forms like justice and beauty, and then perfect mathematical forms.
• What is the form of the good according to Plato?

  The form of the good is the highest form that allows us to know the world of forms and is responsible for the existence of other forms.
• What does Plato believe happens to someone who understands the form of the good?


  They become a morally perfect person and should be called a 'philosopher king'.
• What is Aristotle's criticism of the form of the good?

  Aristotle argues that knowing what is good does not guarantee that one will do good, as virtue is also required.
• How does Nietzsche view the form of the good?


  Nietzsche calls the form of the good a 'dangerous error' and suggests philosophers invent ideas to justify their emotional prejudices.
• What is Aristotle's four causes theory?


  Aristotle's four causes are material, formal, efficient, and final causes that explain change and knowledge from experience.
• What is the material cause according to Aristotle?


  The material cause is what something is made of, such as the wood of a chair.
• What is the formal cause according to Aristotle?


  The formal cause is a thing's essence or defining characteristic, such as the shape of a chair.
• What is the efficient cause according to Aristotle?


  The efficient cause is what brought the thing into being, such as a carpenter for a chair.
• What is the final cause according to Aristotle?


  The final cause is the end goal or purpose of the thing, such as a chair being for sitting on.
• How does modern science view final causation?

  Modern science rejects final causation, believing the universe is made of atoms and forces without inherent purpose.
• What does modern science claim about purpose in reality?

  Modern science claims that purpose is socially constructed and does not exist objectively in reality.
• What is Aristotle's prime mover theory?


  Aristotle's prime mover is a pure mind that causes motion by being the final cause towards which all things are attracted.
• How does Aristotle explain motion with his prime mover theory?

  Aristotle explains motion as the transition of things from potential to actual through attraction to the prime mover.
• What is Newton's rejection of Aristotle's prime mover theory?

  Newton argued that motion does not run out and continues unless acted upon by an equal and opposite force, negating the need for a prime mover.
• How does modern science view Aristotle's empirical method?

  Modern science acknowledges that Aristotle's empirical method of gaining knowledge from experience is still valid, despite some inaccuracies.
• What is the significance of Aristotle's four causes in understanding change?


  Aristotle's four causes provide a framework for understanding the change we experience in the world through empirical observation.
• What are the key components of Plato's rationalism and theory of forms?

  • Knowledge is gained a priori (from pure logic).
  • The Allegory of the Cave illustrates the theory of forms.
  • The forms are perfect, eternal, and unchanging representations of everyday things.
  • Empirical evidence is considered shadows on the wall of the cave.
• What are the main critiques of Plato's rationalism and the form of the good?

  • Aristotle argues knowledge can be gained from experience.
  • Nietzsche criticizes the form of the good as a dangerous error.
  • Aristotle states that knowing what is good does not guarantee doing good.
  • There is no unified form of the good that captures all forms of goodness.
• What are Aristotle's four causes and their significance?

  • Material: what something is made of.
  • Formal: a thing's essence or defining characteristic.
  • Efficient: what brought it into being.
  • Final: the end goal or purpose of the thing (telos).
  • They provide a way to understand change and gain knowledge from experience.
• How does modern science relate to Aristotle's theories?

  • Modern science accepts material and efficient causation.
  • It rejects final causation (telos) as unnecessary.
  • Science explains change without purpose, viewing purpose as socially constructed.
  • Aristotle's empirical method remains valid in scientific inquiry.