Week 1: Assignment: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle Matrix and Response

Grade: 68/80
Professor:  James Nzokah
I don't know what I lost points for.  WIU material X'd out


 

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Used the dialectic method to take an argument to the root issue and proceed from there (Moore & Bruder, 2005, p. 36). 

Used the knowledge of, and appeal to, the forms to get to the fundamental issue.

Contributed the concept of logical reasoning through syllogism (Moore & Bruder, 2005, p. 70-71).

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Used the dialectic method to acquire knowledge (Moore & Bruder, 2005, p. 35).

Sensory perception is not a valid means of acquiring knowledge.  It is through thinking and knowledge of the true forms that one gains knowledge and can perceive their surroundings.  (Moore & Bruder, 2005, p. 42-43).

Some things can be intuitively known.  For most things they should be grouped to discover similar qualities as well as unique qualities.  (Moore & Bruder, 2005, p. 70)

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For Plato “love is meant to be the force that brings all things together and makes them beautiful” (Moore & Bruder, 2005, p. 44).  Love operates as a force that shows that some knowledge is lacking, and then the force that pursues that knowledge (Moore & Bruder, 2005, p. 44).

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Two criteria are applied.  First a determination is made if the object exists.  Secondly, a determination is made about the object substance.  (Moore & Bruder, 2005, p. 66-67)

 

 

         Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle were similar in their approach to logic and argument in that they appealed to the base issue.  The base issue was different for each philosopher, as was getting to the base issue; but the core was getting to the root of the idea and then proceeding from there.  Socrates added to this through his grouping multiple base issues to form an argument (Moore & Bruder, 2005, p. 70-71).

         Similar in to their logic and argument Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle had a core similarity in their method of acquiring knowledge.  All three philosophers, while different in technique, took the idea to its base, or simplest, form and built up from there.  At the root Plato had the form and that was the key element, though multiple forms, or essences, could exist in one object (Moore & Bruder, 2005, p. 42-43).  Socrates through the use of the dialectic method was a method that was a precursor to Aristotle’s syllogism.  Aristotle expanded upon Socrates’ dialectic method by combining known items to make a logical argument.

         While the textbook only mentions specifically Plato’s view on love one can make some similarities with Socrates.  With Socrates dying for his corruption of the youth and rejection of the gods it ultimately was his idealism, and philosophy, that resulted in his death (Moore & Bruder, 2005, p. 36-37).  His unwillingness to compromise his beliefs, and thereby escape death, reinforced that reason, and living by reason, were the chief objects of life.  It was though strictly adhering to reason and challenging others thoughts that you give love.  The core similarity between Plato and Socrates is that love is a force.  For Socrates this force was reason while for Plato it was knowledge of the forms.

         While the textbook only mentions specifics on existence some inferences can be made about Plato’s view of essence.  With the core of Plato’s philosophy resting on the basis of the forms, it is the forms that are used to define, and judge, the objects in the temporal world.  For Plato as one grows in knowledge of the forms then they can better analyze the world through the senses to determine their compliance with the original form that the object resembles.  The similarity between the two philosophies is in Aristotle’s substance.  Aristotle’s substance can be paralleled back to Plato seeking to have knowledge of the Form’s essence and nature.




© Erik Smith 2005
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