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126 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
What is the rationalist credo?
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-The universe is orderly
-The universe is knowable -The universe is knowable BEST by human reason |
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What is zeitgeist?
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-describes the political, social, cultural and intellectual ethos of a historical time and place
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Define myth.
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- a story that explians the unkown in terms of the known
-human experience is known and natural processes are unknown |
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3 Values of Myths
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1. Help people overcome their fears and live in the world
2. Myths can help relieve a person of guilt Ex. Cupid made me fall in love. 3. Helps us feel like we have control. |
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3 problems with myths.
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1. Used to oppress people
2. Conflicting with other myths 3. Clash of myth and reason. |
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Egyptian pyramids reflect what idea?
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Myth
-make you feel small and insignificant in comparison to the pharohs -The pillars show power/authority of kingdom and rulers |
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Epistemologies of mythical systems?
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-intuition
-authority |
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Epistemologies of Rational systems?
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-empiricism
-innatism |
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Characteristics of the Archaic period?
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-marked by the rise of the city-states
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Characteristics of the Hellenic period?
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-known as classical period
-Greeks out think the Persians in the Persian War - |
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What are the Hellenic Values?
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-Rationalism (rationalist credo)
-Humanism (Man is the measure of all things) Humans have value -Democracy (individuals have value) -Classicism (adherence to recognize aesthetic ideals) (Principals: order, proportion, balance, and decorum) |
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Parthanon represents which period and why?
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-hellenic
-columns communicate humanism -used reason, order, balance, proportion -the people matter -Looks perfect to the eye |
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Fallen soldier with happy face and soldier with sad face belongs to which period?
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-Hellenic
-happy and open posture -struggling to get up; shows human experience |
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Statue of 'spear bear" (human form) belongs to which period?
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-Hellenic
-designed by reason -human body is the model of perfection |
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What did the Peloponnesian Wars do to the Athenians?
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-they lost which caused the to question how they could lose if they used reason
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What did the philosphers believe?
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- Truth is the measure of all things.
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What did Alexander the Great do?
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-military conquests
-spread Greek thought -mixing it with other cultures |
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What is characteristic Hellenistic Period?
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-Passion is the measure of all things
-EMOTION |
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Characteristics of hellenistic art.
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-focus is on emotion and not the rationalist perfect human form
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How did a mythological civilization work?
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-priest would have an intuition
-the ruler would enforce the intuition -EX. Nut gives birth to the sun and eats it at night which explains sunrise and sunset. |
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What was Socrates mission?
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-traveled around asking questions to figure out if someone knew more than he did
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Define metaphysics.
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-the study of the ultimate nature of reality
-the study of what is really real |
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Define hereclitus.
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-fire/change is really real
-empiricism |
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Define Parmenides.
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-the one is the most basic:Nothing changes
-innatism |
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How did plato view hereclitus and parmenides?
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-they are both right
-2 worlds: physical changes and the forms never change -DUALISM |
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Myth of Cave.
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-Shadows in cave are like the shadows of the forms in this physical world
-puppets are the forms -above the cave is where the froms reside -everything in physical world is an illusion |
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Define forms.
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-the eternal unchanging ideas which lie behind the changing temporal, physical world
-located in the heavens -forms cause the essence of things -things participate in the forms |
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Relationship of forms.
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-each one partakes of the form above it in a hierarchy
-top is Good: Perfection -Below that is what is true, good (moral), and beautiful |
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Epistemology of the forms.
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-innatism
-we know them from a previous life |
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Explain Phaedo and the "equal sticks".
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Sticks look very similar next to each other an nearly the same length, but when zoomed in you can see the differences.
-similar to the forms and the shadows in the physical world |
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Anthropology of Plato's ideas.
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-soul is immortal (you will always exist, but body will die and fall away
-soul trapped in teh body |
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How might Plato and St. Paul disagree on the nature of the self?
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-plato thinks body is bad
-Christians do not think this |
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Define lower knowledge.
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-empiricism
-look at individual examples -observe and document data -Particulars |
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Define higher knowledge.
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-knowledge of the universals
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Define Actuality and Potentiality.
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-Actuality- lectern is a lectern
-Potentiality- when it breaks down it has potential to become firewood |
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What does Aristotle believe to be really real?
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-matter - stuff of which things are made
-form vs. Plato's form - the shape of something or inner urge |
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What did Aristotle think of Plato's idea of the forms?
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-forms do not tell us of the reality of this material world
-cannot account for the sense impressions of things -we have to understand change to understand what is real -"participate in forms" merely poetic words with no substance |
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What are the 3 branches of knowledge according to Aristotle?
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-productive- how to do things
-Practical- a theoretical kind of knowlege Ex. politics -Theoretical- highest level of knowledge |
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What do we know through higher knowledge?
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-the universal is in the particular
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What are the four causes?
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1. Material Cause: that out of which something is made (matter)
2. Formal Cause: that into which something is made (made into the knife) 3. Efficient Cause: that by means of which something is made (1. person? 2. the tools? 3.the energy? ex. muscle, electrical etc.) 4. Final Cause: that for the sake of which something is made (the goal toward which everything is moving) |
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Define telos.
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purpose
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Define entelechy.
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-fulfilling the purpose
-we know a things purpose by that function that is unique to it |
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Origin of Universe according to Artistotle.
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-the first cause
-God is not the first cause -the "unmoved mover" (pure actuality toward which all potential is drawn) -stuff always was; the universe always existed |
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Plato: What are the functions/virtues of the soul?
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-REASON/ wisdom
-SPIRIT(love of winning)/courage -APPETITES(body urges)/moderation |
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Plato: What is our best and highest function as humans?
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reason
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Plato: What is human beings implied purpose?
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-to be RATIONAL
-we begin to understand what is true |
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Aristotle: Monism?
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-body and soul are integrated
-the soul is what the body does -he thought that the soul went when the body did |
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Aristotle: Types of souls?
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1. RATIONAL(vegetative and sensitive plus...) : we can think and develop logical arguments (REASON)
2.SENSITIVE (vegetative plus...) : has a very basic form of memory and can respond to their basic memory. Ex. animals 3.VEGETATIVE: plants |
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Aristotle: What are humans for?
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-Entelechy
-Purpose, unique function: Reason |
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What is important to both Plato and Aristotle?
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Reason/rationality important to both
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Plato: What is THE good for humans?
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-rational control
-reason needs to be in control |
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Example of chariot and charioteer.
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-Chariot=body
-2 horses=spirit and appetite -Charioteer=reason *without reason it would be a disaster |
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Plato's concerns about art.
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-art deceives us and is merely copies of shadows
-passions are dangerous which are created by art -they begin to control reason/rationality |
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Plato's problem of evil.
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-to know the good is to do the good
-you focus using reason on what is actually good -EVIL comes from ignorance -it is the absence of good |
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Aristotle: what is the good?
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-multiple goods based on entelechy
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Aristotle: What is our good?
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-rationality/reason by achieving one's entelechy
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What is the pattern of life that fulfills our entelechy?
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Eudaimonia
-the golden mean and balance |
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Aristotle's view of the arts?
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-represent and illumine nature
-reveal universal in particular (all can connect w/ each other's issues) -Provides Catharsis |
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What is a common theme between Plato and Aristotle?
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rationality and a life of balance
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Plato: How do we know the good in politics?
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innatism
-the state is the soul writ at large |
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Plato: 3 classes(functions)/virtue?
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1. GUARDIANS/wisdom
-rulers -ideally rational about the good of the whole 2. SOLDIERS/AUXILIARIES/courage -protect/fight for the state 3. ARTISANS/CRAFTSPERSONS/ moderation -they keep the state going |
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3 main features of Plato's political system.
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1. Hierarchy
2. Community 3. Rationality |
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Leadership in Plato's society?
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-education for all
-rulers are the most rational ones ex. philosophers |
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Men/Female roles in Plato's society?
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-males/females share the capacity for reason
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Aristotle: knowing good in politics?
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-empiricism, search for UNIVERSALS
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Aristotle: Application of golden mean.
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-leading from the middle
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Aristotle: politics?
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-we are meant to live out our lives in community
-Man is a political animal |
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Aristotle: Role of men and women?
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-weaknesses to empiricism
-men were leaders, women were followers |
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What do Plato and Aristotle have in common?
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-Both are rationalists
-universe is orderly -knowable -known best by human reason |
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Define Catharsis.
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-pity and fear
-purges you so you can see the truth more clearly |
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Define Apollonian.
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-reason: rationality
-peace and tranquility -aesthetic emotion and intellectual contemplation ("ah ha"/ "oh yeah") -God of sunlight/poetry -Aristotle's Golden Mean -Arts: architecture, painting, sculpture -Knowledge: law, science, philosophy -Civilization: domestication (the city and civil order) |
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Define Dionysian.
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-Non-Rational
-ecstasy and horror -God of wine and excess and abandon -Tragedy: -the primitive: instinct, adventure, dauntless suffering -Wisdom: "dark wisdom" -Extremes: ecstasy, horror, suffering, joy -Arts: song, dance, esp. tragedy -Risk, abandon, spontaneity -"Follow your bliss" |
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The "tertium quid"?
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-the third thing
-most people spend eternity in the lobby of hell |
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Rationalist confirm?
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-reason is useful, but not fully adequate
1. reason 2. epistemology: intuition/authority we can learn important things |
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Non-rationalists confirm?
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-3. logic is an inadequate tool
4. emotion: emotion, rightly understood and used can be a path to deep truth |
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Plato's ideal education
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-university "one truth"
-philosophy at center of campus |
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Aristotle's ideal education
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-before university we learn lower knowledge
-museums at the center |
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Debate Plato vs. Aristotle.
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Theater/arts only inflates passions and distracts from the truth
-the universal is in the heavens -ex. you have to already know what justice is vs. -the universal is found in the particular -ex. find justice in the constitutions from many city-states. |
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Protagoras/ and other sophists university model.
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-Rhetoric
-basic skills institute -social sciences institute -self-improvement quadrangle -internship center: go out to practice your skills in the world |
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Sophists and the context of their times.
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-introduced rationalism
-helped people solve problems for themselves |
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Sophists objection to Plato's metaphysics
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-UNIVERSALS/Forms
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Sophists objection to Aristotle.
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-UNIVERSALS in particulars
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Nature of truth according to the sophists
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-every person's truth is slightly different from the next
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3 key terms sophists metaphysics.
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1. Physis- true nature of something
2. Nomos: norm, custom, law 3. Significance: virtually everything is nomos |
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Sophists objection to Plato's epistemology.
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-overconfidence in reason
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Sophists response to Aristotle.
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-still concerned about confidence in reason
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Sophists' conclusions regarding reason.
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1. reason(empiricism) is better than authoritarianism
2. reason has limits; call to skepticism |
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Sophists' objection to Plato's ethics.
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--ideas are not useful
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Sophists' objection to Aristotle's ethics.
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-ideas are not useful
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Ethical values according to sophists.
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1. argument for Practical ends or goals
2. argument for CONTEXT: situation matters 3. nomos vs. physis: offers standards |
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Define Arete.
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-excellence (in practical terms: success)
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Sophists' objection to Plato's politics.
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-elitist "snob"
-very few people who are gonna benefit and be in charge |
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Sophists' Central political values.
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1. argument for DEMOCRACY...participation, education for all
2. Argument for progress |
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Sophists' central value for anthropology.
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-humanism
-"man is the measure of all things" -Individualism, culture focuses on human experience |
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Stoics: What are the cosmic building blocks of nature?
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1. Atomic Matter
-A/tomo: "uncuttable" 2. Fiery air currents (similar to energy) -active -not spread evenly -"logos" |
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6 faces of LOGOS.
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1. Basic material.
2. Blueprint for individual objects -ex. DNA 3. At points of high concentration , logos is a soul -we are all connected 4. Reason and logic itself 5.Spread throughout the universe -logos is fate or providence 6. At points of highest concentration, IT is God |
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Consequences of logos. An orderly universe which is...
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1. An organic whole (everything is connected)
-one body, literally 2. Knowable best by human reason -our reason is connected to the reason! Ex. terminals on the mainframe, not individual PCs 3. Predestined 4. Benevolent -completely good -we may not always see it -Ex. mosaic or tapestry |
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Stoics: What is the great aim in life?
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-happiness (contentment)
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Stoics: How do we attain happiness in life?
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1. LIVE IN HARMONY WITH NATURE
-ex. how things are 2. Specifically this means -wisdom (i.e. knowing what is in your control -apathy-A/pathos: lack of feeling |
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Stoics: 2 obstacles to attaining happiness in life.
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1. ignorance- we think we can control things but we can't
2. fear- mainly fear of death |
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Stoics: what is the ethical ideal or wise man?
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-Socrates: was apathetic and ignored fear, etc.
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Romans: attitude towards politics.
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1. Universal brotherhood
-anyone could be a Roman citizen 2. Cosmopolis "world city" -no countries -all be under 1 country 3. Natural law "there is a law in the universe" -our laws should copy this basic law |
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Stoics: attitude towards
politics. |
-logos(citizenship)
-logos(communities) -logos(natural law) |
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Greeks: attitude towards politics.
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-Greeks vs. Barbarians
-city-state (ex. Athens was a country -Alexander was the exception -(emerging natural law) |
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Arts and Architecture for Romans?
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-mostly borrowed ideas
-mosaic and arch unique to them (ex. dome in pantheon |
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Romans major architectural feats.
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1. Transportation
-roads and aqueducts 2. Commerce -stores, buying and selling -ex. fast food ovens 3. Entertainment -ex. Colosseum, theatres |
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How did Romans influence our systems today?
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-interstate
-malls -amusement parks -baseball stadiums |
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Mythological: Stages on life's way.
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-story and authority
-is the story interesting? -childhood |
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Greek: Stages on life's way.
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-Reason/truth/abstractions
-is it universally true? -college |
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Roman: Stages on life's way.
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-practicality
-does it work? Can I make a buck? -rest of life |
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4 epistemologies
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1. authoritarianism
2. intuitionism 3. empiricism 4. innatism |
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define epistemology
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-the nature and limits of knowledge
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define authoritarianism.
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-knowledge that comes from an authority
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Advantages of authoritarianism.
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-efficiency
-accessibility of info -context |
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Disadvantages of authoritarianism.
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-always a "second-order" epistemology
-confusion between power and authority -requires suspension of one's own judgement -Authoritarian info is ONLY AS GOOD AS ITS SOURCE |
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Define intuitionism.
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-immediate apprehension
-independent of any reasoning process -"hunch" -not instinct |
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Characteristics of intuitionism.
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-personal
-instantaneous -involuntary- you can't make it happen -unknown origin |
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Common uses of intuitionism.
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-solving certain types of intellectual problems
-dealing w/ certain relational problems -managing big life decisions |
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Problems with intuitionism.
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-can't control it
-may produce wrong outcomes -can't be tested or verified rationally |
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Define empiricism.
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-knowlege through direct sensory experience
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Advantages of empiricism.
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-very democratic- open to public scrutiny
-presupposed by some other epistemologies -productive- especially in medicine and technology |
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Problems of empiricism.
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-our senses may deceive us
-inefficiency -doesn't explain the intangible world well |
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Define innatism.
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-inborn knowledge that is universal, 100% certain, logical (fits with the things we know to be true)
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Advantages of innatism.
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-applies to everyone
-certain -keep us from being limited to what is |
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Problems of innatism.
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-arrogance
-difficulty of establishing universals -might just be a bias -There might not be any! |
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What epistemologies are rational or non-rational?
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-innate and empirical knowledge is always rational
-authority/intuition can be both rational and non-rational |