Plato, metaphysics and the forms / Francis A. Grabowski.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Grabowski, Francis A.

Series:

Continuum studies in ancient philosophy

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Plato.

Form (Philosophy).

Metaphysics.

Physical Description:

xi, 163 pages ; 25 cm.

Place of Publication:

London ; New York : Continuum, [2008]

Summary:

Few philosophical doctrines have been as influential as Plato's theory of Forms, and few have been as misunderstood. Most philosophers, following Aristotle's recommendation, regard the Forms as universals; however, this interpretation is difficult to square with other aspects of Plato's thought.

This book aims to set the record straight about what Plato conceives the Forms to be. The author argues that because epistemological considerations motivate Plato's ontological commitments, it is reasonable to think that the former can be used to shed light on the latter. For the sake of providing background and context, the author first examines Pre-Platonic views on knowledge and finds that the ancients tended to model knowledge on perception. But the same epistemic model can be discerned in Plato. With this in mind, the author concludes that, owing to his epistemological commitments, Plato could not have conceived of the Forms as Aristotle and others have claimed. An interpretation of the Forms as concrete particulars provides a more coherent view of Plato's overall philosophical project.

Contents:

Introduction: Platonism as Realism 1

Preliminary remarks 2

Provisions 10

Chapter 1 The Standard Interpretation: Defence and Criticism 15

Argument from authority 16

Eidos, idea and the names of Forms 21

The being-becoming distinction 28

The language of immanence 34

Chapter 2 Plato's Epistemological Heritage: from Homer to Parmenides 44

Shifting attention from metaphysics to epistemology 45

Pre-Platonic views on knowledge 50

Homer 51

Xenophanes 58

Heraclitus 64

Parmenides 71

Chapter 3 Plato's Epistemology: Giving Shape to the Forms 79

Knowledge as justified true belief 80

The direct-object construction with verbs of knowing 86

Knowledge as dunamis 93

Forms as concrete particulars 101

Conclusion: the History of Philosophy: a Lesson Learned 107.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [115]-157) and index.

ISBN:

9780826497802

0826497802

OCLC:

174040132