De Anza College Plato Rationalism Quiz Questions Preparing for Quiz 8 Plato’s Rationalism In this section we begin our study of rationalism in epistemo

De Anza College Plato Rationalism Quiz Questions Preparing for Quiz 8 Plato’s Rationalism

In this section we begin our study of rationalism in epistemology. We read Plato’s Meno and study Plato’s metaphysics, epistemology, political philosophy, ethics, and aesthetics. You have to know a lot about Plato, because, as Alfred North Whitehead said, the whole rest of the history of Western philosophy is a response (Whitehead said a “footnote”) to Plato.

This is the material for Quiz 8 Plato’s Rationalism .

Readings for Quiz 8

The reading assignments for this section are:

DP Ch 2 “Rationalist Epistemology,” “The Philosophy of Plato”
Meno (all). Good versions of the Meno are available free online: check out here (Links to an external site.).
DP Ch 7 “Ancient Greek Moral Philosophers” (material on Plato only)
DP Ch 9 “Political Philosophy” (material on Plato only)
DP Ch 10 “Plato and Freud”
WatchPlato’s Allegory of the Cave (Links to an external site.)

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Objectives for Quiz 8

Study Questions Quiz 8 (Submit to Workbook 2):

1. What is epistemology?
2. What is the difference between metaphysics and epistemology?
3. What is rationalism in epistemology?
4. What is the difference between rationalism and empiricism in epistemology?
5. What is Plato’s Allegory of the Cave?
6. What are the four levels of reality as illustrated in Plato’s Divided Line?
7. Why does Plato think the material universe is not as real as the world of abstract universal truths?
8. Why are truths of mathematics more real than empirical truths for Plato?
9. What is Glaucon’s story of the ring of Gyges and what does Glaucon think it shows?
10. According to Plato, the good (well-ordered) city and the good (well-ordered) soul are alike. What are the three parts of the soul and the three levels of society, and how do they parallel each other? What principle should rule in both cases?
11. Why does Plato forbid art in his ideal city?
12. What is Plato’s Theory of Forms? What are characteristics of the forms (what kinds of things are they?).
13. What is the form of the Good?

14. What is Thraysmachus’ view of justice?