ST ALOYSIUS’ COLLEGE

AS PHILOSOPHY

objections to Plato’s Forms

1. We can accept the need to use the Forms but why do they need actually to exist in a realm of Forms? (Plato believed Forms to be distinct and separate “things” which are immutable, , perfect, eternal and invisible and which might be “discovered” by philosophical introspection)

2. Plato believes the existence of the realm of Forms to be a self-evident truth. How so? The existence of particulars (such as this cat sitting before me) is surely self-evident (it hisses if I growl at it) - we do not then need to rely on the Form of cat to explain.

3. The Forms work well with concepts such as the circle or justice, but not so well with physical objects. Does the Form of cat have colour, size, shape, etc.? Are the Forms of physical objects just collections of other Forms (e.g. the Form of the colour ginger as in a ginger cat)?

4. Do the Forms of physical things relate to every detail or to more general concepts? Is there the Form of planet Earth? Are there also Forms for each thing on planet Earth or are these parts of the greater Form of Earth?

5. Forms are about perfections. Do we have a problem when we try to imagine a perfection in things such as disease or evil?

6. For Plato the highest Form is the Form of good. But people genuinely differ about what constitutes good (or other higher Forms such as beauty).

7. The third man argument (or argument of infinite regress): if two particulars (e.g. men A and B) resemble each other then they have a Form (the Form of man). But surely the Form of man now resembles the two particulars (men A and B) – does this mean there is a further Form (of the Form of man and men A and B) – the “third man”? This leads to infinite regress. (Parmenides)

8. Can you describe Forms? e.g. Is the Form of beauty itself beautiful?

9. Are there Forms for human artefacts? Can you have Forms for things not yet invented? Are these conceivable (remember Plato believed the mind could access the Forms independently of the sensible world) without knowing the physical objects?

APsj

16.9.03