Exam 3: Plato the Divided Line and the Cave

For Arendt, "it is decisive that the experience of the eternal, in contradistinction to that of the immortal, has no correspondence with and cannot be transformed into any activity whatsoever."

Berkeley argues that in order to be convinced of his claims, "the reader need only reflect, and try to separate in his own thoughts the _______ of a sensible thing from its ___________."

What arguments does Hume give to support the idea that humans seem to be fixated on the idea that physical objects exist independently of us?

For Kant, metaphorical idealism regards time and space as something given in themselves, independently of our sensibility. Thus, "outer appearances (their reality being taken as granted) as things-in-themselves, which exist independently of us and of our sensibility, and which are therefore outside us."

Cavendish argues that since sense perception is more likely to be deluded, it cannot be the ground of ...

Cavendish holds that matter is ________ and _______, thus it is impossible that any other new matter should be created.

MacDonald remarks that "if there are no trains, stations, potatoes or people then propositions about them, other than those which assert or imply their non-existence, must be false."

Hume says that "It seems to me, that the only objects of the abstract science or of demonstration are hypotheses and theories, and that all attempts to extend this more perfect species of knowledge beyond these bounds are mere sophistry and illusion."

Hume concludes: "If we take in our hand any volume; of divinity or school metaphysics, for instance; let us ask, Does it contain any abstract reasoning concerning quantity or number? No. Does it contain any experimental reasoning concerning matter of fact and existence? No." Then commit it to the flames.

Berkeley says, "But, whatever power I may have over my own thoughts, I find the ideas actually perceived by Sense have not a like dependence on my ..."

Hawley asserts that the "anti-realist argument asserts that there are plenty of theories in the history of science which were empirically successful, but which posited the existence of entities in which we no longer believe. The aim is to undermine the realist claim that empirical success is a reliable symptom of theoretical truth."

According to Arendt, experience of the _________ is different; it is a "kind of death, and the only thing that separates it from real death is that it is not final because no living creature can endure it for any length of time."

Why does Aristotle claim that we do not know a truth without its cause? Do you agree with Aristotle? Explain your answer.

Hume says, "The mind has never anything present to it but the ___________, and cannot possibly reach any experience of their connection with objects. The supposition of such a connection is, therefore, without any foundation in reasoning."

Hawley calls the position that accepts that the scientific metaphysics is genuinely confirmed by the role it plays in generating empirical success, but claims that independent reasons to believe the traditional metaphysics outweigh this scientific support, ...

Explain what MacDonald means when she says the following: "Compare e.g., the proposition, 'Whales are really mammals, they are not fish,' with 'Whales are really processes, they are not things.' There are empirical tests which determine whether a creature is a mammal or a fish." e.g., the proposition, 'Whales are really mammals, they are not fish,' with 'Whales are really processes, they are not things.' There are empirical tests which determine whether a creature is a mammal or a fish."

For Berkeley, "A spirit is one simple, undivided, active being-as it perceives ideas it is called the understanding, and as it produces or otherwise operates about them it is called the will."

Shepherd claims that, "When the doctrine I propose becomes unfolded, the following is the conclusion to which I wish it may lead: The relations of various sensations generate conclusions, which become new sensations or perceptions, and which, as so many inward objects of sense, afford an evidence of the existence of the exterior objects."

Aristotle claims that we do not know a truth without its cause.

The kind of knowledge that is based on reason, and is independent of anything existing in the world is relations of ideas.