Metaphysics and Epistemology essay

As a result, Plato disagreed with the fact that the world, which we often experience via the senses, is what is real while Aristotle disagreed with the claim that knowledge must be due to what is fixed and constant. Therefore, Plato’s arguments account for the origin of knowledge while Aristotle’s arguments focus on how to get the knowledge, which is undergoing various changes. Summary of Plato’s View on Knowledge and Reality According to Plato, there are truths that should be discovered to show that knowledge is possible. On the other hand, Plato argues that unlike the way Sophists believe that truth is relative, it is objective. Furthermore, he rejects skepticism, which highlights that people lack knowledge in certain fundamental bases (Lewis, 2013, p.

Summary of Aristotle’ Views on Knowledge and Reality According to Aristotle, forms are objective realities that one cannot identify them with anything material or mental. He adds that based on the pure abstractions, forms only exist in the minds of the intellects. Therefore, according to Aristotle, forms exist in their particular instantiations and in the mind of the intellects but not anywhere else. He adds that even the intellects must rely on senses in order to know the forms (Stein, 2018, p. Therefore, based on Aristotle’s arguments, there are no innate ideas and senses are the reliable means of gaining knowledge.  168), however, despite the fact that we could achieve virtue does not automatically guarantee us any unification of other virtues. Therefore, according to Aristotle, one can only achieve the goals of wisdom through significant efforts, and a person must choose to think and behave wisely in order for one to reach other virtues.

On the other hand, both Aristotle and Plato agree that thoughts were superior to our senses. However, Aristotle believes that senses are necessarily needed in order to effectively determine reality while Plato believes that senses are very detrimental because they could fool a person (Lewis, 2013, p. In my opinion, I support Aristotle’s arguments on knowledge, good and virtue. Moreover, the most reliable technique of acquiring knowledge is through observation and experience. On the other hand, forms exist in their particular instantiations and in the mind of the intellects but not anywhere else. However, even the intellects must rely on senses in order to know the forms. Finally, wisdom does not guarantee us the virtues unless we put significant efforts. References Lewis, F.