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Theory of Forms
Plato, Aristotle, Ockham
Which is which?
What are they doing with
their hands?
Where are they?
See the full painting here
The
Great
Three
Plato
(429 347)
500 BC
200
BC
Socrate
s (469 399)
What is an allegory?
Its a story that teaches you about something
2. explain enlightenment
Its not the paint, dye, pigment, light waves, frequency of waves,
etc., that makes the circle on the left red, that makes the circle
on the right red, because all that stuff is over there (on the left)
rather than over here (on the right) similarly, its not the
paint, dye, pigment, light waves, frequency of waves, etc., that
makes the circle on the right red, that makes the circle on the
left red, because all that stuff is over here (on the right), rather
than over there (on the left).
So, in virtue of what are they both red?
Notice that red is a singular term the subject is plural, but the
predicate is singular! These are not reds. How can this be?!
How then, can two things be one thing?!
Its not the curve of the border that makes the circle on the left
circular that makes the circle on the right circular, because
that curve of the border is over there (on the left) rather than
over here (on the right) similarly, its not the curve of the
border that makes the circle on the right circular that makes
the circle on the left circular because that curve of the border
is over here (on the right), rather than over there (on the left).
So, in virtue of what are they both circular?
Notice that circular is a singular term these are not
circulars!
How then, can two things be one thing?!
Qualities
colors
shapes
sounds
textures
temps
flavors
odors
aspects of
all
etc.
Relations
lighter/dar
ker
rounder/sq
uarer
higher/low
er
rougher/s
moother
sweeter/so
urer
etc.
Kinds
animal
vertebrate
human
metal
steel
apple
book
sandwich
etc.
and
goes out of being at some time and in some place,
Problem:
How do Platos non-temporal, non-spatial, eternal,
unchanging Forms interact with the temporal, spatial,
temporary, changing world of our experience?
Plato tells us: by a relation of participation or sharing
Another way to say it, Forms are instantiated in physical
things.
This red thing has an instance of redness,
this being in between is an instance of inbetweeness,
this dog is an instance of dogness.
same)
precise (cutting off reference to all other features)
and,
Nominalism (universals are a mere puff of voice;
universal words)