Philosophy Questions
1. What is the Socratic method? What are the different elements of it? Why does Socrates make use of it? How, if at all, does it pertain to the notion of Plato's forms? How does Socrates application of his method factor into his prosecution?
The Socratic Method is a method in which: - two individuals form a dialogue which involves asking and answering questions to simulate critical thinking and to draw out ideas and underlying presumptions. - The different elements of the Socratic Method are cross examination, refutation (disproving or counter arguments), and maieutic procedures. - Socrates during his trial was accused of corrupting the youth, and of Impiety during his self-defense he state that he is not a wise man, to prove this he goes to the oracle and asks who is wiser then himself. She states that there is no other that are wiser then him. - He then begins to question anyone who is wiser then himself.. (The Politicians, The Poets, The Craftsmen) and all 3 of them thought they were individually wiser , therefore Socrates was deemed the better man because hw was aware that he was not wise. - For the accusation of Impiety he state sthat he believes in the children of the gods and in a way believes in god so it was deemed a contradiction of itself. - For the charge of corrupting the youth he states that he was teaching new values/virtue over wealth and power. He does not ask to be followed and learned from, however it's the youth who is following him and learning from him.
4. How does Aristotle describe the soul in De Anima? How does hylomorphism factor in? How does his hylomorphism differ from Plato's dualism? Finally, what is Aristotle's psychic hierarchy and how does it actually coincide with the field of biology?
- Aristotle describes the soul in De Anima as the principle of life, and that anything living has a soul. - Hylomorphism differs from platos dualism in which they are two opposing theories on human nature. Platos dualisim states that the body and soul are 2 different entities and that the soul is not affected like the body is affected over time. - Hylomorphism is the theory that all organisims are composed of 2 materials which is matter and form. - Soul is the form of the body , and the soul allows the body to carry functions. - Matter deals with what something is made of somethings potentiality, while forms deal with the shape of something and that's somethings actuality. Aristotles psychic hierarchy a hierarchy pretaning to the soul. powers of the soul. He divides these powers into five: Nutritive, Appetitive, Sensory, Locomotive, and Mind (power of thinking).
5. The function argument goes back to Plato and Aristotle. How is it articulated by a modern Thomist like Jacques Maritain? What, if anything, does the function argument have to do with human nature? On what basis do Thomists argue for the existence of human nature? Why is that important to their "natural law" theory of ethics?
- Maritain articulated the function argument by The Thomistic view which is that there is a law in human nature that is derives of a divine or eternal law and that humanity's 'end' goes beyond anything attainable in this life. Maritain maintained that there is a natural law that is 'unwritten' but immanent in nature. - Maritain held, that Aristotelian ethics, by itself, was inadequate because it lacked knowledge of humanity's ultimate end. - In regards to human nature, the function argument says that Everything has a function. Therefore, humans have a function. What makes us human, is our rational soul. So to function as humans we must be rational. Something fulfils its function well by having the right virtues. Therefore, a good human is one who is virtuous using their rational soul. - Thomists argue for the existence of human nature on the basis that they are a combination of an immaterial mind and a material body. - It is important to their natural law theory of ethics in which it sets the belief that human morality comes from nature.
6. What is rationalism? How does Descartes argue in favor of rationalism? Is there a connection between rationalism and Descartes' cogito argument? How does the argument pertain to the scientific revolution? What, if any, role does God play in said argument? What aspect of the self does Locke prioritize that Descartes doesn't focus on?
- Rationalism is that knowledge is derived from reason, and that humans have rational order and that they should live life by reason. - Descartes argues in favor of rationalism in where he we says that truths are gained without any sensory experience. He determined that reason alone determined knowledge. - The Cogito Argument his famous dictum standing for "I think therefore I am" and is the conclusion put together that reason can get us somewhere so long as it attends to self-evident truths, truths that cannot be doubted. - The Connection between the cogito argument and rationalism is that the cogito argument serves an importance with that our first instance of truth cannot be doubted. Rationalism factors in with the cogito argument because with rationalism we can then use our reason to derive further knowledge from these clear and distinct perceptions. - The cogito argument pertains to the scientific revolution in where he responds to the lack of clarity in the world of science. "I think therefore I am" is an example of clearly apprehending the truth, in correlation with the scientific revolution, this argument in effect of thought proves the hypothesis of exsistence. - The role that god plays in this argument is that Descartes hopes to prove that god is the cause of our clear and distinct perception. God is perfect in every way and thus no deceiver, he will be able to secure lasting certainty for clear and distinct perceptions. He, therefore, sets out to prove that God exists. - The aspect of "the self" that Locke prioritizes is that he rejects the existence of any innate principles. He believes that because there is no universal agreed upon notion of god, the idea of god cannot be innate. Descartes on the other hand believes that the existence of the self and gods existence are principles that are innate.
2. What is dualism? How does Socrates conceive of the relationship between the soul and the body in Phaedo? Why does he think that the soul is superior? What does he mean by philosophy as "practicing death" and as katharsis?
Dualisim or Psychomatic Dualisim is that there are fundamentally two distinct substances... The Soul and The Body. The Soul is: Immortal, Intelligent, Invisible, and a form. The Body is: Mortal, Visible, Sensible, and a particular. - In Phaedo Socrates believed that death is the separation of the soul and the body - Socrates believes that the soul is superior because the body interferes with the welfare of the soul due to the fact that the soul desires wisdom, while the body desires pleasure of the flesh. - The Wisdom that the soul desires comes through the intellect, and the soul only gains full knowledge at death. - He Says that philosophy is practicing death and dying because it's not living life on the edge. - The soul is prisoner to the body. The soul needs to be purified to the body, the body is dirty. - Death is easier when an individual is not attached to the current life. When you die? You get full knowledge which is considered purification. - "Katharsis is the greek terminology for purification/ cleansing.
3. What is a Platonic form? According to the recollection argument how do we come to have knowledge of forms? How does this differ from Aristotle's theory of abstraction? According to Aristotle how are universals formed in our mind? In each argument what is the role played by aisthêsis?
Forms is the universal concept of a thing, a general set of properties belonging to a class of thing; essential properties. - The Recollection argument is that the soul preexists the body. Learning is recollection; then the soul is immortal. - According to the recollection argument we come to have knowledge of forms prenatally/innate. Which means we forget most of our knowledge at birth, and can be made to recollect this knowledge through proper questioning. This suggests that our soul existed before we were born. - This differs from Aristotle's theory of abstraction because the theory of abstraction is the process of learning truths by abstracting them from material things, meaning we are born as "blank slates", where as Platos recollection argument claims that we discover previous knowledge through proper question of our lives, in order to recollect past knowledge.