...Anthony Charpentier Due Date: 10/7/14 PHI 307 – Ancient Philosophy First Essay Assignment Xenophanes, Socrates, Plato on the possibility of knowledge Skepticism – A skeptical attitude; doubt as to the truth of something. In ordinary skepticism this would mean someone who would doubt the existence of something. A difference between the two is normal skepticism is you try to get it clear in your head. Ordinary doubt - or local skepticism - can usually be tested - and even when it can't, there may well come a time when it can. Many philosophers have had their own version and interpretation of skepticism. Skeptics only denies we have knowledge but does not deny our belief or opinion. Most of which our true belief is just luck and lucky guesses are not knowledge. An example of this can be found in a reading from Humes which he explained that he does not perceive anything else besides his perceptions such as immaterial substance. From different philosophers and readings we can understand there are many different meanings and interpretations of skepticism. According to Philonous presents an argument against Hylas stating that only ideas are perceived, nothing else and thus that we are aware only of the mind. Philonous proceeds to use the same arguments as John Locke to prove things are independent of the mind. Philonous uses a similar example to that of John Locke in which he states, “suppose now one of your hands hot, and the other cold, and that they are both at once put...
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...Dear Jake, I am writing you to explain Simmias analogy to Socrates in Phaedo. Socrates presents his third argument for the immortality of the soul, called Affinity Argument, where he shows that the soul most resembles that which is invisible and divine, and the body resembles that which is visible and mortal. From this, it is concluded that while the body may be seen to exist after death in the form of a corpse, as the body is mortal and the soul is divine, the soul must outlast the body. Simmias draws an extended comparison between a human being and a musical instrument, the lyre. In Simmias analogy he says, the body is visible, composite and mortal. A harp is visible composite and mortal. When the harp is destroyed, the tune which is ethereal, invisible and divine is also destroyed. The soul is like a tune it is ethereal, invisible and divine. If the body is destroyed the soul cannot survive. The argument I believe Simmias is making to Socrates is that nothing can exist prior to the things which it was created from. Simmias argument talks about the body being a lyre and the soul being the body and the harmony being the soul. With this in mind he explains that if the lyre rots then the harmony must also change. In the same way if the body is ravaged by disease then the soul must also be destroyed. The question I believe Simmias is attempting to ask is how can the soul exist before the body? Simmias argument is that the soul is a harmony dependent on the body. If the body is...
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...that innate knowledge is not earned but instead implies that knowledge is already in you from birth. Plato argues that all wisdom is recollection; he believed that individuals did not learn new things, but rather recall or recollect old information meaning it was learned prior to mortality. This dialog has a dramatic significance. He considered memory to be a method for breaking down and debating data and thought intellectual humility was vital. It can be seen how Socrates brings down Meno’s confidence when he thought that he knew what virtue was. By carefully questioning, Socrates makes Meno doubt: “Socrates, I used to be told, before I knew you, that you were always doubting yourself and making others doubt.” (Cottingham, Innate Knowledge, page 3)....
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...Phaedo 3. How does Socrates use the argument from opposites to prove the immortality of the soul? Socrates uses his theory of opposites to prove the immortality of the soul by taking not only humans, but also animals and our surroundings into account. For example, the opposite of sleep is awake like good contradicts with evil. Moreover, Socrates says in all opposites there is the need for the other. Meaning, without something having an opposite, it is not real. For one to become greater, it must have started less, and vice versa. Being better is brought from the state of acting worse as more just is from the more unjust. Also, being one thing also means not being another. The two universal opposites go from one opposite to the other then back again. Being alive means not being dead. When dead, one cannot be alive. And as sleeping is generated out of waking and waking is generated out of sleeping, being asleep means not being awake. These examples prove how they equally involve a passage into and out of one another. Without the other, none would exist. In obvious belief, death can only be brought by life. However, Socrates goes more in depth by saying that and it vice versa, life is brought by death. Meaning, our souls are immoral because they forever live on after the body dies. 4. Explain the theory of recollection and show how Socrates thinks it proves the preexistence of the soul? The theory of recollection is the idea that everything we learn has already been tought...
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...Socrates ideas on how we come to know, proof of his point, and knowledge versus a college degree. In this research, we discuss what Socrates ideas on how we {come to know}. And the examples he uses to prove his point, as well as questions do we agree or disagree with his teachings. And there is a chance to ask a question about knowledge, if he was here today. Socrates explains another Plato’s theories about knowledge. He goes on to say that knowledge can be reality that comes from within the soul through a form of recollection, rather than not knowing at all. Before I explain that he supports it by saying the soul is immortal, in Plato’s opinion. His point is demonstrated threw a geometry experiment with a boy who knows nothing about geometry. The boy is asked to construct a square twice the size of a given square. After one or two failed attempts the boy succeeds. Now, how is this possible if he was never taught to do so. This goes back to saying that knowledge is in the inner soul; in other words the geometry was already in his soul. I definitely agree, for I have done something from a academic stand point before that I was never taught to do and succeeded. His point is that a person would not seek what they know, but rather what they don’t know, and that’s the basis of what we come to know. Socrates begins to prove his point more from a religious stand point. He goes on again about the soul is immortal, and has been born many times, and has seen all things, both...
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...Anna Lin Exam 1 6/18/14 Socrates’ Courageousness Socrates should not be classified as a Sophist for many reasons. He did not take money from those whom he spoke to; sophists did not care if their conclusions were true, yet Socrates used his ways of dialectic to try to find the absolute truths and he tries to proof to people that the immortal soul exists that is why he does not fear death. Socrates tries to let people know that there is life after death by proving himself right; he is not afraid of death. For instance, “Socrates claims that the death is nothing more than the separation of the soul from the body and although some group of people denies it, the soul is immortal considering the cycle of life and death, the theory of recollection and the affinity argument” (Makaleler). Makaleler tells the audience that Socrates is so certain that the soul is immortal. He also says death is just the soul leaving the body, yet many people don’t believe what he says. People denies Socrates’ way of thinking is mainly because they are scared of changes, they fear the unknown of what exactly will happen to them when the soul leaves the body. This is a good example of why Socrates is not a sophist because if he was a sophist he would have collected money then tell people what they want to hear, as this quotes states people do not believe in him. Socrates is not trying to please anyone to get money, he is just stating what the divine voice had told him. Again, “The soul can be...
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...that in which all members of the same kind have in a common type class. For example; if we were talking about pencils, a pencil would be an individual while pencil would be a form. In the dialogue “Meno,” Socrates opens not with the question of “what is virtue?” but rather “how and if virtue can be taught.” He then attempts to discover an exact definition of virtue because before one can discuss the subsequent questions about it, one must have an exact definition. Plato brings forth the idea of anamnesis, which states the soul is eternal and already knows everything, and in order to learn one must simply recollect what they already know. Throughout the dialogue Meno proposes many definitions of virtue, all of which are turned down by Socrates because he tends to use the word he is defining in the definition. As a result, the question is raised of whether it is even possible to seek for something one does not know yet, attempting to find a definition of virtue. By the end of the dialogue the two come to the conclusion that they still do not have a clear definition; however, they do not now that they do not know. This introduces the objection proposed by Meno discussing the entire definitional search in the form of what has been called “The Paradox of Inquiry.” The argument appeared to be very mature and developed, but Plato critiqued it harshly. His response to the objection is as follows, one cant come to know something that they did not already know; inquiry never produces...
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...greatest philosophers of all time, Socrates, has been sentenced to death for his “corrupt” ways. Socrates has been condemned to commit suicide by drinking hemlock. Before the great philosopher takes his last drink, Socrates explains his theories on Dualism, immortality, forms, and opposites. He makes his first argument on opposites; everything comes to be from out of its opposite. Life and death are in a perpetual cycle such that death cannot be a permanent end. The soul is what animates us: we are alive because we have a soul. That concept suggests that the soul is connected to life. Since the form of life does not in any way include its opposite; death, the soul cannot in any way be overcome by death. Socrates concluded that the soul must be immortal. Socrates argues his theory of recollection by stating that learning is essentially an act of recollecting things we knew before we were born but then forgot. He is basically saying that our souls have existed in a previous life or prior to birth. I feel that he is saying that in a way our souls are recycled. I feel that if you already have your instincts before your birth, then you already acquired them from a previous form. Socrates continues by saying that the soul’s life extends beyond the body and is “immortal.” Socrates goes on to say that “death” occurs when the soul and the body “detach” themselves; so the body is dead but the soul will keep on living. A soul that is not properly detached from the body will become a ghost...
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...PHIL 127: History of Ancient Philosophy Socrates and His Mission When is a Question Philosophical? Philosophical questions have answers. (A question that has no answer is not a question; it just masquerades as one.) But a question is philosophical for a particular culture at a particular time when no means of answering it are available – or, none of the prevailing methods have any authority. A problem is a philosophical problem when the way to go about answering the question is in question. An issue is a philosophical issue when the right way to settle the issue is at issue. A Philosophical Crisis If the claims in the previous paragraph are true, then 5th century Greece was in a philosophical crisis. It was a crisis in morality. In our culture we think of morality as being concerned with rules. Here are some rules – You should not kill. – You should not steal. – Don’t hit people. – Lying is wrong. – It’s wrong to promise to do something and then not do it. – You should not covet your neighbors wife, or his ox or his ass or his male or female slave, or anything that is your neighbor’s. – You should not lie with a man as with a woman. – Thou should not wear fabric woven of wool one way and linen the other. – Do (imperative) unto others as you would have them do unto you. – Help (imperative) other people who are in need when you can do so at no great risk or cost to yourself. Why do we think of morality as consisting of rules? This question is important...
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... Title: Phaedo The Last Hours Of Socrates Author: Plato Translator: Benjamin Jowett Release Date: October 29, 2008 [EBook #1658] Last Updated: January 15, 2013 Language: English Character set encoding: ASCII *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PHAEDO *** Produced by Sue Asscher, and David Widger PHAEDO By Plato Translated by Benjamin Jowett Contents INTRODUCTION.PHAEDO | INTRODUCTION. After an interval of some months or years, and at Phlius, a town of Peloponnesus, the tale of the last hours of Socrates is narrated to Echecrates and other Phliasians by Phaedo the 'beloved disciple.' The Dialogue necessarily takes the form of a narrative, because Socrates has to be described acting as well as speaking. The minutest particulars of the event are interesting to distant friends, and the narrator has an equal interest in them. During the voyage of the sacred ship to and from Delos, which has occupied thirty days, the execution of Socrates has been deferred. (Compare Xen. Mem.) The time has been passed by him in...
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...were composed of empiricism and rationalism. Questions that relate to human existence; mind and body, as we will see, were developed on the assumption that knowledge comes from experience. Some theories were so powerful that they have been moulded and manipulated to fit into the faculty of various religious beliefs and practices. The contributions of Socrates (500 BC) still remain to this day, and are studied in great depth such as the “Republic of Plato” which was written by Plato. Socrates, one of the world’s most influential philosophers, who was seemingly ahead of his time, shaped elegant theories which illuminated many of the puzzling aspects regarding life and death – body and soul. In the following narrative, we will describe the main differences, properties, and functions between the body and the soul, according to Socrates. Accompanying will be an explanation of what Socrates sought to be the underlying characteristics interacting within the body and soul. The ways in which Socrates describes the characteristics is what makes him so fundamentally different from any other philosopher. The following information is based on an exceptional piece of literature titled, “Phaedo” which was originally written by Plato, and more recently translated by G.M.A. Grube (2000). In the beginning of Phaedo, Socrates introduces various sub-theme theories that he uses to validate and solidify his convictions on the explanation of...
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...Platonic Love In the Symposium, which is normally dated at the beginning of the middle period, Plato introduces his theory of love. First thing to note is that in Plato’s theory, love is given and its existence is not questioned. The word love leaves the matter ambiguous as to whether we are discussing love in the normal, human, sense of the word, or if we are discussing desire in a much broader sense, but in this discussion we are only considering only love of type eros, love as a kind of desire that exists between two human beings. Symposium, is a dialogue by Plato, about a dinner party in honor of the tragedian Agathon, after they have finished eating Phaedrus suggests that each person in turn should make a speech about the praise of god of love. Symposium not only gives us theory of Forms in Diotima's discussion of the Form of Beauty, but it also gives us a number of varying perspectives on love. One more important thing to consider is that Diotima is not known to be a historical figure, and the way in which she is introduced suggests that she is almost certainly just a literary device developed by Plato to express his own ideas. In this theory, we see Plato rejecting the romanticization of sexual love, valuing above all an asexual and all-consuming passion for wisdom and beauty. Plato clearly regards actual physical or sexual contact between lovers as degraded and wasteful forms of erotic expression. Because the true goal of eros is real beauty and real beauty is...
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...ancient philosophers present differing views on how a life should be lived. Both Socrates and Confucius prescribe a way to live the best life, but their reasons for doing so vary. Socratic philosophy is based on the pursuit of wisdom leading to the separation of the soul from the body. Confucian philosophy describes the path to become an exemplary person, which draw on the lessons of history and community. In comparing their beliefs, we can learn life lessons that are of benefit in the here and now and others that are more esoteric. In the Socratic philosophy of soul and body separation, Socrates maintains that the separation of the soul and body is the end goal of a philosopher’s life. He goes so far as to say that a philosopher ought to welcome death, as it is the culmination of one’s life. He is then asked why suicide is not an option, if a philosopher welcomes death. Socrates rebuts by saying that we are the possessions of our creators, “…would you not be angry if one of your possessions killed itself when you had not given any sign that you wished it to die.” (P. 99) Socrates continues to expand his philosophy by supporting why a philosopher would welcome death. He states that in death, “…I should go first to other wise and good gods, and then to the men who have died and are better than men are here. Be assured, that as it is, I expect to join the company of good men.” (P. 100) Socrates argues that a philosopher who has devoted his life to the search for pure wisdom...
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...In An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, John Locke does not offer a positive argument for or against the immateriality of the soul, despite rejecting the Cartesian claim that personal identity being attached to the soul (Heide 06 Apr). His own account of personal identity, while compatible with there being immaterial souls, does not depend on such entities existing. Instead, he connects personal identity to continuous consciousness, or memory, a position which does not rely on the soul to do any explanatory work. This paper will first explicate René Descartes's view of personal identity, and it will be argued that Locke's critique provides compelling reason to reject the argument that personal identity as tied to an individual soul. Locke's...
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...In my research paper, I am going to use Descartes’ Discourse on Method and Plato’s “Phaedo” from the Five Dialogues to support my argument. I’m going to argue that while Descartes uses a geometric method to obtain knowledge and Plato’s method tended to be more spiritual, underneath these differences the two methods are similar in some interesting way. Descartes claims that the true method to obtain knowledge is to turn within to study the self. He uses reasoning, logic, and the scientific method to prove a clear reason for his beliefs and tries not to leave anything to doubt. An example of when Descartes uses the geometric method is when he uses doubt to prove that something is certain. His method instructs to take our beliefs and subject them...
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