17 Aug 2022

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Plato, Aristotle, and Descartes: Philosophical Arguments

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Plato perceives ideas like beauty as real when compared to objects which Plato states imitate an idea. An idea to Plato comprises authentic forms which never experience changes in a given time interval. The difference between an idea form and object forms is that an object experiences changes. Plato states that object forms experience drastic or constant changes over some time. In reality, object forms which comprise tangible, physical forms, represent qualified and conditioned forms. An idea form falls under unqualified conditions. Ideas never experience alternation to imitate a particular form, such as an object. For instance, a table represents an object form defined by counting or termed countless as an idea. An ideal form of tables comprises words such as tableness, which has definite proximity. Tableness form only represents all tables. Overall, Plato in Parmenides states that an idea represents a transcendent to time and space. An idea represents forms such as intelligence and knowledge, which Plato perceives as the one stored in an individual's mind, a world of forms in one's mind (Gerson, 2017). Due to the lack of changes over time, Plato states ideas as the true and pure forms compared to objects which change constantly. Plato views idea forms as the basis of world reality which never changes among humans and substances. 

Aristotle expounds Plato's argument of form to represent an idea and object. Aristotle's philosophy focuses on observing an event that allows us to make the final claims and assumptions. Aristotle, Plato's student, disagrees more with Plato's notion of forms through focusing more on retrospective studies before making an assumption. For instance, through his biology, Aristotle focuses on the concept of species that allows him to conduct a detailed study, mostly observations, before making claims about animals' behavior and functions of every single animal. Aristotle perceived the body in terms of matter which revealed the form for each individuals living animal. Despite Aristotle's critique of Plato's notion of a form, idea, and object, Aristotle reveals that there must be a particular form (idea) that is separate and unchanging that acts as a source of all other beings (objects). Also, Aristotle states that achieving that particular form calls for an individual is to become excellent to achieve blessedness and happiness, which he believes is the only best kind of life. Overall, both Plato and Aristotle agree that an idea is the best kind compared to an object. Aristotle supports Plato's argument of an idea as a non-changing form over time by suggesting that there must be an unchanging source of all other beings (objects). 

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A necessary truth comprises a proposition that stands only to the truth without giving room for any false possibility. Necessary truth represents a form of truthfulness in every world. For instance, many philosophers use number additions as the necessary truth in both worlds. A contingent truth represents the type of truth that has the possibility of becoming false. Likewise, the same applies to a contingent false, which could have become true. Contingent experience disparities such that some worlds perceive it as truth whereas others see it as false. A contingent truth form comprises of the spiritual and scientific contradictions about human beings. According to the religious doctrines, their contingent truth reveals that human beings are created by God, according to Christians. The scientific contingent truth reveals that human beings' existence comprises an evolution process from the Neanderthal man into the modern man, Homo sapiens. Hence, the contingent truth differs from the necessary truth such that necessary truth is truth in all worlds. In contrast, contingent truth applies to particular worlds while others it appears as contingent false. According to St. Thomas Aquinas, he proves God's existence through the argument of necessity and possibility. For instance, there is an identification of things in nature possible of being, while others are not to be, such that they come into being and go out of being like the contingent beings. Thomas argues that for each contingent being, there are times when they do not exist. 

Descartes' skepticism went further through his combination of our beliefs of perception and mathematics at the same time. Descartes, one of the skeptical philosophers, decides to doubt particular beliefs and virtues to find apparent enlightenment. In the attempt of scientific disciplines to understand the role of religion in civic and personal life to expand knowledge of understanding. Descartes doubts to what extent humans know that their beliefs are justifiable. To further understand the long believed scientific knowledge, Descartes decides to demolish what he believed in his life and try to understand each aspect to reduce the worries experienced on knowing what is right and wrong. He focuses not on proving that all his beliefs are false. He realizes later on that most of the things he believed as true have for long deceived him. Descartes identifies the things the deceived him using his senses. Descartes argues that the senses tell the truth about the current events, the surroundings, objects, and body parts. For instance, Descartes says his senses inform him about the place he is sitting, sitting by the fire, the type of clothes he is wearing, a winter gown, and what he is holding in his hands, a piece of paper (Sachdev, 2019). He states that it is hard not to believe what senses reveal. He states it is hard to believe that there is no paper in hand when it is really in hand. Descartes also argues that he has long believed that God made him be that kind of a creature. He doubts if God means for him not to know what he knows, such as place, size, shape, sky, and earth (Descartes, 1990). He also argues that some individuals believe that there is no God and everything is uncertain. Descartes argues that if humans believe that there is no God, does it mean humans are a product of fate, chance, or a long cause of effects? 

References 

Descartes, R. (1990).  Meditations on First Philosophy/Meditationes de Prima Philosophia: A Bilingual Edition . University of Notre Dame Pess. file:///C:/Users/ADMIN/Downloads/Descartes_Meditations.pdf 

Gerson, L. P. (2017).  Aristotle and other Platonists . Cornell University Press. 

Sachdev, R. (2019). The Role of Skepticism in Early Modern Philosophy: A Critique of Popkin's" Sceptical Crisis" and a Study of Descartes and Hume. 

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StudyBounty. (2023, September 14). Plato, Aristotle, and Descartes: Philosophical Arguments.
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