For Aristotle, Plato was a realist and Protagoras was a relativist. Essentially, he regards both theories as equally defective. J.D.G Evans attempts to analyze why Aristotle deems these theories inadequate and what position is left for Aristotle to take if both of the alternatives are defective. Repeatedly, Aristotle begins his accounts by criticizing the “answers of his predecessors” and, while there appears to be legitimate reasons to discredit them, he fails to provide an adequate alternate. The following passage from Eudemian Ethics (1235b 13-18) allows us to better comprehend Aristotle’s impression of philosophy, which in turn leads to a better understanding of how he reviews and resolves the aforementioned problem: We must adopt a line of argument which will both best explain to us the views held about these matters and will resolve the difficulties and contradictions; and we shall achieve this if we show that the conflicting views are held with good reason.
Plato’s doctrine of recollection is supposed to solve the problem of Meno’s paradox. Meno’s paradox is stating that the learning of definitions is impossible, as you already know subconsciously the answer to the question or definition you are asking. Meno argues that you have to be able to differentiate correct and incorrect definitions and because you are able to do so, it means that you have always known the answer. Meno, however, is able to utilize this way of thinking because he uses the term knowledge as vaguely as possible. Plato's doctrine of recollection states that rather than learning, what is really happening when people think about something, and in the end discover an answer to a problem, is that they are recollecting things that they already knew.
The Good Life The first thing that comes to mind when I think of the things that make me “happy”, I think of love, stability and wealth. This is probably true for most people, with a few variations of course. One definition of happiness could be the state in which we have everything and what nothing. Someone is happy because everything he or she could ever want has been acquired so there is no wants. Plato had a completely different view of happiness.
Most of these choices do not matter, but among the ones that do, one could be their sex. Throughout most of the game, there is no limit imposed by the gender the player chooses, both having equal potential to use magic, supernatural abilities, or sheer force to bend the world to their desire. In fact, there is only one skill perk out of 251 that relies on gender, and even then can be used by both. So really, no limits are imposed by whichever gender you choose at the start of the game. One thing that the gender of your character does matter for is the appearance in the game.
He also believes the philosopher is able, through using his intellect, to achieve true knowledge of the abstract Forms without using his senses. Plato’s theory of Forms can be seen as unconvincing to some who believe that abstract ideas e.g table, horse, beauty are actually names that have been invented to help people describe their experiences of the physical world. This is a materialistic view as it suggests that objects in this world are the real reality and our ideas can develop based on experience of things. Aristotle agrees with this and believes knowledge is gained through experience and that there is not an eternal World of Forms that is a priori to us. However, in Plato’s defence some believe that each variety of a Form shares a likeness for example each horse is slightly different yet they all share something that makes it resemble a horse.
Plato argues that rather than being taught how to perceive things such as beauty or morality, through our physical senses, we instinctively have a general grasp of them through the theoretical form. In other words, the beautiful things we can see are beautiful only because they are part of the more general Form of Beauty. This Form of Beauty is itself invisible, eternal, and unchanging, unlike the things in the visible world that can grow old and lose their beauty. The Theory of Forms envisions an entire world of such Forms, a world that exists outside of time and space, where Beauty, Justice, Courage, Temperance, and the like exist untarnished by the changes and imperfections of the visible world. Plato also suggested that the theoretical form was never ending, unlike the physical form which starts at our conception/birth and ends at the moment that we die.
His was a more straight-forward view. Although both seem to possess logical arguments, there can be no gainsaying of the fact that they have two fundamentally different concepts about politics. The purpose of this paper is to explore the different perspectives of Socrates and Machiavelli. Socrates and Machiavelli introduce unique theories in the area of justice and politics in an attempt to influence the importance of social relationships in politics. Socrates believed in morality and ethics pertaining to politics and politics pertaining to the maintenance and purity of a person’s soul.
Plato argues that Aeschylus’ theories have holes because of deception or death. While living the good life one can logically avoid obstacles such as deceit. Queen Clytaemntestra rule in Oresteia is an example of this. Plato addresses the exact ways to ultimately reach true happiness in the Republic and tells the audience specifically how to achieve the good life. Although there are vague similarities between both plays, we notice the path some characters chose do not lead to the good life no matter how wise they seem to be.
Matthew Antunes Mid-term PHL 101 Intro to Philosophy 10/24/12 1. One’s search for the meaning of justice in Plato’s “Republic” would finally lead to two definitions, Justice is Harmony. (Book 4, 434c). Justice is doing one’s own job. (book 4, 443b) Finding these two phrases, however, is hardly enough to get a clear sense of what justice is.
Like to all geometrical shapes, the circle is a mathematical ideal. It is not possible to draw a real circle, but only an imperfect physical copy of one. Beauty, justice and circle are all examples of what Plato called ‘’Forms’’ or ‘’Ideas’’. These Forms are perfect Ideals, but they are also more real than physical objects. He called them ‘’the Really Real’’.