Metaphysics: Theories of Reality

Metaphysics and Reality

• Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy that seeks the basic criteria for determining what things are real.
• Theories of reality include:
  • Monism: the belief that reality is composed of one thing.
  • Dualism: the belief that reality is composed of two things.
  • Pluralism: the belief that reality is composed of many things.
  • Nihilism: the view that nothing exists.

Plato (428-348 BC)

• Ancient Greek philosopher
• Student of Socrates
• Teacher of Aristotle
• Founded the Academy of Athens, the first higher institution of learning in the Western World
• Works: The Republic, Crito, Apology

The Allegory of the Cave

• Plato uses this allegory to show the relationship between appearance and reality, and the responsibilities of philosophers.
• The allegory illustrates that things are not always what they seem, and that beliefs are not necessarily knowledge.

Plato's Theory of Reality

• Plato holds that there are two worlds:
  • The World of Being (Reality): composed of eternal and perfect Forms or Ideas.
  • The World of Becoming (Appearance): the ever-changing world of sensible objects.

Plato's Theory of Forms

• Also known as the theory of Ideas.
• The theory of Forms is the belief in a transcendental world of eternal and immaterial things that corresponds to every kind of thing that exists.
• The Form of something is what the thing is, its essence, nature, essential structure, and object of definition.

Characteristics of Forms

• Self-predication
• Independent from particulars
• Perfect
• Simple
• Unchangeable
• Eternal
• Intelligible, not sensible
• Incorporeal
• Causes of being
• Non-spatial

Characteristics of Particulars (Appearance)

• Changeable
• Spacio-temporal
• Sensible
• Corporeal
• Subjective
• Imperfect
• Copied: not original, an example
• Complex

How Can We Know the Forms?

• A Form can be grasped by the mind, but not the senses.
• Reasoning is the way to come to the knowledge of the Forms.
• In apprehending the Form of something, the mind is acquainted with the reality of that thing, and knows the truth about it.

The Ultimate Principle of Reality: The Good

• The Ultimate principle of reality and truth is the Good.
• Any instance of being, found anywhere, is traceable finally to the Good.
• The Good is the highest Form, giving things we know their truth, and making it possible for people to have knowledge.