Ancient Greek influences on philosophy of religion

1. Plato: the Analogy of the Cave(The Republic VII. 514A-521B)

Unit G751: AS Philosophy of Religion

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What is the significance of THE PRISONERS?

• The prisoners symbolise us. We have the lowest level of understanding (eikasia) which we means that we only know about the world of appearances and do not want to understand the world of the Forms.

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What is the significance of THE SHADOWS?

• The shadows are imperfect copies of the Forms. The prisoners believe that these shadows are the only reality.

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What is the significance of THE CAVE?

• The cave represents people who believe that knowledge comes from what we see and hear in the world – empirical evidence. The cave shows that our empirical knowledge is flawed.

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What is the significance of THE OUTSIDE WORLD?

• The outside world represents the world of Forms, where the true forms of beauty are found.

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What is the significance of THE SUN?

• The sun symbolises true knowledge and the Form of the Good. The world depends on the sun for existence, the source of all light, reflections and shadows.

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What is the significance of THE JOURNEY OUT OF THE CAVE?

• The escaped prisoner represents the Philosopher, who seeks knowledge outside of the cave and of the senses. By rejecting sensory experiences, he is open to reality and can apply his intellect to understanding the real world.

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What is the significance of THE RETURN?

• When the escapee returns, the other prisoners laugh at him and threaten to kill him. This symbolises that the prisoners (us) are afraid of philosophical enlightenment. Also, it could be a reference to Socrates’ death, Plato’s teacher.

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Arguments FOR the analogy of the Cave

• Shows that empirical knowledge can be flawed, we live in an imperfect world of appearances.

• Plato gives us a reason for the imperfections that we around us.

• We recognise imperfect copies as we have lived there before.

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Arguments AGAINST the analogy of the Cave

• Unclear link between the material world (world of appearances) and the world of the Forms.

• Absolutist argument but not everyone accepted it, Aristotle did not.

• No concrete proof that the world in the cave or the outside world is real.

• Just because someone is philosophically enlightened, does that make them perfect for leadership?

• How does one realise the truth and reality of the Forms in order to become enlightened?

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2. Plato: the concept of the Forms; the form of the Good

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Define PHENOMENA

• The perception of an object that we recognise through our senses. Plato believed that phenomena are “fragile and weak forms of reality”. They do not represent an object’s true essence.

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The concept of ‘Ideals’

• Forms = perfect Ideals, types of things. They are not created.

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The World of the Forms (The Real World) The Material World (Our World/The Cave)

Each Form is One (there is only one idea of beauty)

Particulars are many (there are many beautiful things)

Only known through our intellect/reason Only known through our empirical sense

Eternal Always coming in and out of existence (birth and death)

Unchanging Always changing into something else

Non-physical Material objects

Perfect Imperfect

The relation between the Form of the Good and the other Forms

• The ultimate Form is the Form of the Good.• Understanding the FOG, we can understand that any

good act = imitation of the Good.• The FOG illuminates the other Forms; it enables us to

‘see’ the Forms.• The aim of everything is goodness.• FOG was understood later by Christians as explaining

God.• Hierarchy of the Forms = Physical inanimate objects

Physical living objects Concepts and Ideals Universal qualities (justice, truth and beauty) The Good.

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Evaluation of Plato’s Forms

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Strengths Weaknesses

• It explains why we all recognise the same essential elements in something.

• You can’t prove the world of the Forms exists.

• Helps us understand why there are imperfections around us.

• Infinite regression.

• Encourages us to question and not accept things at face value.

• Not everything can have an ideal form.

• Cannot be applied to the world we live in.

• “Senses are inferior” but we have relied on them for survival for thousands of years.

3. Aristotle: ideas about cause and purpose in relation to God(Metaphysics Book 12)

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Define potentiality

• When something contains the ingredients to become something else.

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Define actuality

• When an object fulfils its potential and becomes something else.

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The Four Causes

• Material Cause - The things out of which an object is created.

• Efficient Cause - The way in which an object is created.

• Formal Cause - The plan that led to its creation, what caused it?

• Final Cause - The aim for which an object is created.

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Plato vs Aristotle

• Aristotle: Emphasises value of studying the physical world (empirical study, more of a scientist)

• Rejects Plato’s theory of the Forms

• Rejects dualism (belief in the separation of the mind/soul and body, the soul is what lives on)

• Rejects Plato’s understanding of the soul (materialistic view)

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Aristotle’s Concept of the Prime Mover

• Exists by necessity (could not fail to exist)• Not capable of change• Is pure actuality• Has a good nature as a lack of goodness means

that you can do better (meaning you can change)• Is the Final Cause (why things exist)• “The final cause, then, produces motion as being

loved”• Is the goal of all action• PM is the cause of all motion

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Problems and Evaluation

• The relationship between the PM and the universe is unclear.

• Aristotle’s PM is transcendent whilst Judaeo-Christian God is immanent.

• The idea that the PM causes the universe and events in it through ‘thinking’ is vague and unclear.

• Aristotle’s God is perfect, so it can only think of itself. The PM can only know itself and can’t know or have a part in our lives.

• Is there really a final cause or purpose to the universe? Does there have to be a cause of the universe, can’t it just be there? (Bertrand Russell).

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God in Aristotle

• In Metaphysics, Aristotle links the PM with God and concludes that God is a “living being, eternal, most good, so that life and duration continuous and eternal belong to God; for this is God”

• God as Prime Mover is “complete reality”

• God in Aristotle’s thinking is a necessary being who is eternal, transcendent and impersonal.

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