Philosophy Test #1

What are the three (or four) answers Euthyphro gives to define "piety"?

1.) Tries giving examples of piety (of what he is doing at court), but it is not the thing itself. 2.) What is loved by the gods is pious and what is not is impious. (but then, loved by the gods because it is pious) 4.) pious is care and service to the Gods; honoring and this is pleasing to them.

•According to Aristotle, what is necessary for real change to occur? Be able to explain this using his example of "unmusical man."

3 factors: 2 opposites and an underlying subject of change.

Who else is a dialogue partner for Socrates (Anytas), and how does this tie back to the Apology?

Anytus is there. It ties back to the apology because once Anytas goes through some of the elenchus and he warns Socrates to be careful of speaking ill of people. This foreshadows the trial in the apology, in which Anytus is alongside Meletus to try socrates.

•Book One focuses on the puzzle of change. How does Aristotle treat this differently from Plato, Parmenides, and Heraclitus? Why is change a puzzle?

Aristotle makes distinction between simple and compound things and states that 3 factors must be in place with a pair of opposites and an underlying subject of change. Change is a puzzle bc it is where metaphysics and physics meet. How do things come to be? How are they in motion?

What is the source of knowledge for Aristotle, and how does this differ from Plato?

Artistotle is an empiricist. He believes knowledge comes through our senses and it is how we gain them. He thinks forms are NEEDED, but in one world. As the center of objects of knowledge.

What is the central puzzle Socrates provides Euthyphro? Understand this central puzzle posed by Socrates, and be able to explain it, and why he claims that the pious is not the same as the god-loved. Why do none of Euthyphro's answers satisfy Socrates?

Central puzzle: What is piety? Is something pious because it is loved by the gods or loved because it is pious? Socrates claims pious is not the same as god-loved. Because: 1.) The gods are at war and do not agree, so something could be impious and pious at the same time. So, Euthyphro states that the gods love it because it is pious... so the Gods could agree, but nothing is inherent. Piety cannot be,, something has to LEAD something for it to be lead, etc. Therefore, it has to be God loved in order to be pious which is NOT POSSIBLE. > so, def would be a Trivial question, could choose anything or we would not know.

What does the Delphic oracle say, and why is this important to Socrates? Why does Socrates tell the story of the oracle?

Delphic oracle stated: No one is wiser than socrates. (no one is wiser who knows what they know and do not know) he tells the story in order to explain where his bad reputation came from; felt that he needed to follow god's oracle- shows he isn't atheist. human wisdom is worth nothing.

What are the two general theories of the source of knowledge? (empiricism vs rationalism)

E: We gather knowledge based on our senses/sense experience/perception. R: Believes knowledge comes from eternal trues, not through senses. Reason > senses brings about knowledge.

How does Socrates connect belief with emotion (e.g., he says "To fear death, gentlemen, is no other than to think oneself wise when one is not, to think one knows what one does not know. ..." (29a-b). Be able to explain what he means by "the most blameworthy ignorance" (29b), as well as his claim that "the unexamined life is not worth living" (38a).

Emotions display your beliefs. If you are afraid of death, it shows that you think death is bad, but you really do not know. Beliefs cause our emotions/how we respond to life. False beliefs are bad for the soul, especially fearing death.

What are the Forms? What are the two "realms" Plato claims exist? Why does Plato posit that there are these two worlds or realms? What is the source of knowledge for Plato?

Forms = objects that occupy the real world. of the good; the foundations of everything; realty, good. 2 realms is on the outside (the visible) and inside (intelligible world) Plato believes the source of knowledge is through forms; eternal trues.

In what sense does he see the practice of philosophy as obeying the god?

He comes to the assistance of the God to show men they are not wise for believing they know what they do not. God bade him to continue investigation to show that they are not wise as they think.

Where is Socrates going when he runs into Euthyphro?

He is being tried and is under indictment by Meletus for "corrupting the young and for not believing in the Gods of the city"; this is right before the trial in which he is put to his death (as depicted in The Apology)

What does he first suggest that his punishment should be?

He suggests that his first punishment should be free meals in the Prytaneum. (town hall)

What is the Euthyphro about?

It is about Socrates trying to help Euthyphro realize that he does not know piety. Euthyphro is there to try his father in court He is suing his father (they talk on the court steps) for murdering a laborer who is a murderer and while his friends and family believe what he is doing is impious, Euthyphro (a priest) says he knows better. So: what is piety?

Understand the general themes of the Meno, and why it is considered a "transitional" dialogue. (Elenchus vs method of hypothesis)

It is transitional; socratic to plato. It changes from the elenchus, which is more of a wrecking ball. (to teach that you do not know). Method of hypothesis: Aware of limits of elenchus, try to suggest ideas in order to build them; a new type of investigation.

•Who is Meno? What is his first, and primary question for Socrates? How does Socrates respond to this question? How does Socrates' response relate to his principle of the priority of the definition? What are the three general responses Meno gives to the nature of virtue? Why does Meno compare Socrates to a torpedo fish?

Meno is a sophist. Specifically a follower of Gorgias, a "good sophist". He is to represent the sophist method. His first question for Socrates is can virtue be taught? Socrates asks "what is virtue?". That we have to be able to understand WHAT virtue is before thinking about how it is used/what can be done with it. Meno states the nature of virtue: Gives examples of many virtues as virtue ( a swarm): justice, wisdom, etc. for men, women, children, etc. To find joy in beautiful things and to have power. The power of securing good things. MENO compares him to a torpedo fish because to the touch it feels numb; to a person they get confused- mind and tongue. Socrates has stumped him.

What are metaphysics and epistemology?

Metaphysics is studies of things that are beyond the physical world. Examples of these can be questions about the soul or God, more abstract questions. Epistemology is the study of knowledge and the limits of human knowledge. Examples of these types of questions are (how/what do you know?) (what does it mean to know?)

What is philosophy? What does the word mean?

Philosophy is an activity in which we are seeking truth and knowledge. Looking at things that can speak to us today and it is in everything we do and frames the way we think. (no limit) The word itself means "love of wisdom"

What issues did "pre-socratic" philosophers typically concern themselves with? And what did Socrates place at the core of philosophical inquiry?

Pre-socratics typically focused on metaphysics and natural philosophy. Socrates focused on ethics and epistemology.

What are the accusations against Socrates; which does he think are the most serious —the older or newer — and why?

Socrates believes his older accusations are more serious because a lot of the men on his jury had grown up with them as children and have persuaded them to accuse him quite falsely. OLD: Busies himself in studying things in the sky and below the earth, makes the worse into the stronger argument, and teaches the same to others. NEW: That he corrupts the youth and does not believe in the city's gods.

How does Socrates deal with his death sentence—what does he say about death? What is his attitude toward death?

Socrates embraces it. Explaining that if he ran from death, he would betray what he had stood for. He states that we should not fear death because none of us know what it is. We shouldn't assume that we know what we do not-- it is wrong to assume death is bad. States our emotions display our beliefs. States that the possibility of death should not influence your life. PHILOSOPHY is care for the soul in preparation for death.

What does he (Socrates) say about happiness?

Socrates states that happiness is the love of wisdom. (not necessarily having it, but the pursuit of it itself makes you happy). Thinking that you are vs. being. Happiness is to not lover physical world, but the thing itself and themselves to be wise as possible. Teaches you to love wisdom by showing that you do not have it TRUTH Prioritize virtue and wisdom and care for the soul in order to prepare for death. The unexamined life is not worth living.

Who are the sophists, and is Socrates a sophist (why or why not)?

Sophists were teaching manipulation; speaking to cause others to believe despite the truth. Socrates is not one. He states always that he knows nothing and uses the ELENCHUS. He doesn't teach.

What is the Apology about?

The Apology includes three parts of the trial: the main case, the counter-assessment, and the last words. In the story, Socrates is defending himself in court against Meletus (along w anytus and Lyon) who are charging him for corrupting the youth and not believing in the city's Gods. However, this is more a defense of HIS LIFE as in the value of what he has done and his actions, not really to avoid the sentence of death or any bad sentence.

What is the Socratic method and what is it called? Explain the use of irony, and the principle of the priority of definition (note that these questions about Socratic method do not apply simply to the Euthyphro, but also to Plato's other dialogues).

The Socratic method is called "the elenchus". (to shame someone in Greek) It attempts to help the person understand themselves better (spec. what they know and do not know) in order to allow them to be free of false beliefs. He asks them to define the ideas Uses the priority of definition principle by asking them to define the ideas they are talking about. Believes you have to know what it is before knowing anything else about it. The irony is that Socrates becomes the student in order to teach you, by asking questions and saying honestly that he does not know. Also targets "experts", those who think they know it.

What is the theory of recollection? Is this Socrates' (the historical, real person) theory, or is this Plato's theory? What is this theory intended to explain? Understand the significance of the boy's coming to understand how to double the size of a square, and why does Socrates says that he has not taught the boy how to do it.

This is Plato's theory. It essentially states that States that Socrates has simply guided, not taught the boy and he has not been schooled much before. Are things we know innate? Can we know things prior to existence from past lives? It is just that we are remembering everything. Argues that virtue is innate.

Be able to explain how Plato moves from epistemological categories (knowledge, opinion, ignorance) to say something about metaphysics and the structure of reality itself. What principle does he use to back this up?

Uses things of the mind to say something about the WORLD. knowledge: what is/being/beautiful itself. opinion: what is and what is not visible realm./becoming/beautiful things ignorance: what is not/nothing what is completely is completely knowable and what is in no way is in every way unknowable. uses Heraclitus: everything that exists is in common motion/ everything is always changing. uses allegory of the cave: 2 domains of reality

•After Socrates talks to the boy, he comes to the conclusion that virtue is knowledge, but that it cannot be taught. Understand how this leads him to distinguish between knowledge and correct opinion (and that this is historically significant

Virtue IS KNOWLEDGE, but cannot be taught, Virtue is good. Things are only good when accompanied by wisdom/a kind of knowledge. THEREFORE, virtue is knowledge, but it is NOT teachable. Knowledge is "anchored" by true beliefs and remains solid. Correct opinion isn't as solid. it is practical/liveable, relation bw mind and world.

What is Meno's paradox of knowledge?

We cannot look for something we do not know, how would we know what it is when we see it? And if we already do know it, we wouldn't search for it. A man doesn't search for what he knows or does not know.

•What is Aristotle's method here, and how does it differ from Socrates (elenchus) and Plato (method of hypothesis)?

analytic method; sci method.: to start off with what is better known to us and then go back and deal with true nature/essence. acknowledges we know something, but uses senses rather than assuming situations.

Be familiar with the Cave — what does it illustrate? What do the sun, the chains, the shadows (etc.) represent?

overall: metaphysics of a good education. cave=the visible world. sun= true forms, reality, essence chains: bonds of kinship with becoming, pleasures of appetites that keep us locked in place, care over physical world. Shadows=what is least real, what is fed to us, or distractions/delusions; what is fed to us. we believe they are real. people holding sticks = rulers fire = sun in our sku outside = intelligible world

•What is the difference between physics and metaphysics, and what does he call metaphysics (and why)?

physics: the study of nature and all objects subject to change (natural philosophy) metaphysics: the stuff that comes after physics; looking at being in general not natural objects. He calls it FIRST PHILOSOPHY, it is the study of being as being. the foundational principle of things.