Term
| What is Plato’s “theory of Forms”? |
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Definition
-is a Metaphysical theory and an epistemological theory
- There are perfect, unchanging “forms” that are exactly what they are supposed to be, perfection
-The forms never change and can not be recreated by us because for us nothing is unchanging
-we have genuine knowledge about the forms, we are born with a general understanding of them
- the things that do not change (are immutable) are the most real
- there are two worlds - the stuff we see and the world of forms
forms are the realm of reality that is fully real, what we see are inferior copies |
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Term
| Based on his Physics, what are Aristotle’s “4 causes”? Explain and provide examples. |
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Definition
To understand the world is to understand its causes
aitia: (4 causes)
a. formal cause-structure of something, its blue print
b. material cause- what its made of
c. efficient cause- the initiator of movement, for objects it is whoever made it
d. final cause- why its made, its purpose
EXAMPLE of the lectern:
formal - the shape of it
material - wood
efficient - person who built it
final - to put papers on, make it easy to lecture from |
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Term
| Based on Book I of his Nicomachean Ethics, what does Aristotle mean by “happiness”? Explain. |
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Definition
Eudaimonia (happiness) is the highest good
According to Aristotle it is NOT a feeling
satisfies all desire
is stable, not fleeting like emotions
need philia to achieve happiness |
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Term
| Identify and describe the “three most favored lives” that Aristotle considers in Nicomachean Ethics, Book I. |
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Definition
1. Life of Gratification - life of hedonism, Aristotle rejects this
2. Life of political activity - seeking honor and praise, base happiness on what others think which is superficial
3. Life of study - He says it is the best life, socrates said its the only life worth living |
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Term
| Based on Book II of the Nicomachean Ethics, what is Aristotle’s “doctrine of the mean”? |
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Definition
-There are two extremes in our lives
a. efficiency
b. excess
-we must find the middle road between these two extremes this is the “mean”
example: we should have courage because it is a virtue but never to the extent that we act foolish and seek danger. Courage is the mean between rashness and cowardice |
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Term
| According to Aristotle (from Nicomachean Ethics, Book VIII), can I be friends with an inanimate object? Why or why not? |
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Definition
| No you cannot be friends with an inanimate object because friendship is defined by Aristotle as reciprocated goodwill. You cannot have reciprocated goodwill with an inanimate object. |
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Term
| In Nicomachean Ethics, Book VIII, what are the 3 kinds of “friendship” identified by Aristotle? (& what is the Greek term for “friendship”?) List them and provide examples. |
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Definition
utility friendship
pleasure friendship
virtue/goodness friendship
cannot happen if there is a power difference
have to mutually and genuinely care about the others goodwill |
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Term
| According to Aristotle (from Politics, Book I), how does the “city” come to be? (& what is the Greek term for “city”?) And why does the city remain in existence? |
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Definition
-human associations
1.family - reproduction
2. the household- basic survival needs
3. the village- longterm survival
4. the polis- ultimate goal |
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Term
| In his Politics, Book I, what does Aristotle mean when he calls us “political animals”? Explain. |
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Definition
| Like bees and herd animals, human beings live together in groups. Unlike bees or herd animals, humans have the capacity for speech – or, in the Greek, logos. As we have seen, logos means not only speech but also reason. Here the linkage between speech and reason is clear: the purpose of speech, a purpose assigned to men by nature, is to reveal what is advantageous and harmful, and by doing so to reveal what is good and bad, just and unjust. This knowledge makes it possible for human beings to live together, and at the same time makes it possible for us to pursue justice as part of the virtuous lives we are meant to live. Other animals living in groups, such as bees, goats, and cows, do not have the ability to speak or to reason as Aristotle uses those terms. Of course, they do not need this ability. They are able to live together without determining what is just and unjust or creating laws to enforce justice among themselves. Human beings, for better or worse, cannot do this. |
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Term
| What (from Politics, Book I) is Aristotle’s distinction between a “voice” and “rational discourse”? Explain and provide examples. |
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Definition
- a voice is just a communication (step on a cats tail)
- rational discourse, using language to describe and understand things of the world discussion of what is just and unjust |
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Term
| Explain how Epicurean hedonism differs from a hedonism of excess. |
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Definition
-the epicureans say that we should pursue pleasure in moderation (avoid excess)
-this way we will be in the least amount of pain in the long run |
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Term
| Name and describe Epicurus’ 3 categories of pleasures. |
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Definition
Natural and necessary ex food
Natural and necessary ex sex (don't waste your time on it)
Neither natural nor necessary ex drugs, luxury goods |
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Term
| Explain Epicurus’ argument against the fear of death. |
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Definition
- death is being not alive and we should only fear things that affect us when we’re alive so we shouldn’t fear death
- you’re only being harmed once you’re aware of it |
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Term
| Explain why Lucretius wrote On the Nature of Things in poetry rather than prose (Book I). |
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Definition
-Philosophy is a subject that people shy away from because of its complexities and questions
-poetry makes it more bearable for the masses to appreciate the subject
-like the physician that coats the bitter medicine with the golden liquid of honey |
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Term
| Explain Lucretius’ “symmetry argument” against the fear of death (On the Nature of Things, Book III). |
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Definition
- pre natal non existence and post mortem non existence have a symmetrical relationship they are both the basically the same
-we don't fear our pre existence time so why would we fear our post existence
-death is nothing to us and should not be feared |
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Term
| Why do Epicureans want to rid us of the fear of death? In other words, what concern motivates their arguments against the fear of death? |
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Definition
-having a fear of death in our lives creates pain
-to avoid this pain we should rid ourselves of this fear of death
-since our body/souls don't live past death we should not fear it
- Epicureans do not believe in afterlife, you do not go past life
- since there is nothing after life, there is nothing to fear.
- mortality of the soul: the soul dies when the body dies |
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Term
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Definition
| Greek for nature, not outdoors nature like we think of, according to Aristotle, everything is natural at its base |
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Term
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Definition
all particular things of the world
- the sum totality of the particular things on this earth, term used by Aristotle |
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Term
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Definition
| the doctrine that all physical things are composed inseparably of matter and form |
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Term
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Definition
means the “4 explanations”
a. formal cause-structure of something, its blue print
b. material cause- what its made of
c. efficient cause- the initiator of movement, for objects it is whoever made it
d. final cause- why its made, its purpose |
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Term
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Definition
| Greek term meaning “flourishing/well being,” is the highest good according to Aristotle |
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Term
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Definition
| means “technology” or “craft” includes all things that human beings might create. Every action has a purpose or aim (every techne has a telos) |
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Term
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Definition
| purpose/end every techne has a telos, reason for doing something |
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Term
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Definition
| happiness is equal to pleasure, if you are seeking happiness, seek pleasure. Aristotle rejects hedonism while Epicurus supports it. |
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Term
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Definition
| Greek term meaning friendship. According to Aristotle, you cannot reach eudaimonia without philia |
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Term
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Definition
| Greek term meaning politics. Anything that has to do with various human associations, for Aristotle, anything having to do with living within a “poils” |
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Term
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Definition
| City or city state, its is the highest form of koinonia. Is NOT government |
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Term
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Definition
| Community,village or anyway that people live together, the highest form of koinonia is the polis. Aristotle said this. There are 3 lesser types: family, household, and the village. |
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Term
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Definition
| Greek for freedom from pain/disturbance both in the body and soul |
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Term
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Definition
| means “on the nature of things” Book written by Lucretius |
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Term
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Definition
| Theory that all matter is composed of atoms. Nothing comes from nothing, nothing is destroyed into nothing |
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