Philosophy 100 (2) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Philosophy 100 (2) - Essay Example There is no way to gain knowledge without something actually being believed, in other words. However, obviously there is not any way to gain knowledge by merely believing something. A viable explanation has to be provided for these beliefs. As an example, if a person who is sick believes that they will get better, this will simply not do a single thing to help the person get better. The person might get better, or the person might not get better. Simply believing something obviously has no real effect in the tangible world. A person who is sick and taking antibiotics to get better has a justifiable reason to believe that they will get better. First, the person has taken antibiotics before, and they got better after taking the antibiotics. Second, the person feels exactly lie the last time that they were sick, and they are being prescribed the same exact dosage of antibiotic. Since the conditions are identical to the last time, the person has a justifiable reason to believe the use of the antibiotics will make them better. Plato’s theory of reality serves to inform and compliment his theory of knowledge. Plato believed in Truth; he believed that it existed somewhere in the universe regardless of whether or not we are able to ever achieve it. Plato held a dualistic view of reality. First, there is the visual, that which is experienced through a posteriori, which is merely just a reflection of Truth. Second, there are the eternal Forms, which is knowledge that is gained a priori. Consider an example of a tree. Somewhere in the universe there exists in some form the Form of Tree, and it is because that we have knowledge of this form that we are able to recognize a tree when we see one, despite the fact that no two trees look alike. When we see trees, they are merely reflections of the Form of Tree. This can be seen in Plato’s allegory of the cave. The prisoners in the cave are merely viewing shadows of objects and naming them.