A level - Philosophy of Religion (OCR) Full set of revision notes, in accordance with the OCR specification, for the Ancient Greek influences on religious philosophy sub-topic. © sthrossell

1. Ancient Greek influences on philosophy of religion
1. Plato: the Analogy of the Cave
(The Republic VII. 514A-521B)
Unit G751: AS Philosophy of Religion
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2. What is the significance of THE PRISONERS?
• The prisoners symbolise us. We have the
lowest level of understanding (eikasia) which
we means that we only know about the world
of appearances and do not want to
understand the world of the Forms.
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3. What is the significance of THE SHADOWS?
• The shadows are imperfect copies of the
Forms. The prisoners believe that these
shadows are the only reality.
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4. What is the significance of THE CAVE?
• The cave represents people who believe that
knowledge comes from what we see and hear
in the world – empirical evidence. The cave
shows that our empirical knowledge is flawed.
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5. What is the significance of THE OUTSIDE WORLD?
• The outside world represents the world of
Forms, where the true forms of beauty are
found.
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6. What is the significance of THE SUN?
• The sun symbolises true knowledge and the
Form of the Good. The world depends on the
sun for existence, the source of all light,
reflections and shadows.
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7. What is the significance of THE JOURNEY OUT OF THE CAVE?
• The escaped prisoner represents the
Philosopher, who seeks knowledge outside of
the cave and of the senses. By rejecting
sensory experiences, he is open to reality and
can apply his intellect to understanding the
real world.
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8. What is the significance of THE RETURN?
• When the escapee returns, the other
prisoners laugh at him and threaten to kill
him. This symbolises that the prisoners (us)
are afraid of philosophical enlightenment.
Also, it could be a reference to Socrates’
death, Plato’s teacher.
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9. Arguments FOR the analogy of the Cave
• Shows that empirical knowledge can be
flawed, we live in an imperfect world of
appearances.
• Plato gives us a reason for the imperfections
that we around us.
• We recognise imperfect copies as we have
lived there before.
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10. Arguments AGAINST the analogy of the Cave
• Unclear link between the material world (world of
appearances) and the world of the Forms.
• Absolutist argument but not everyone accepted
it, Aristotle did not.
• No concrete proof that the world in the cave or
the outside world is real.
• Just because someone is philosophically
enlightened, does that make them perfect for
leadership?
• How does one realise the truth and reality of the
Forms in order to become enlightened?
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11. 2. Plato: the concept of the Forms; the form of the Good
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12. Define PHENOMENA
• The perception of an object that we recognise
through our senses. Plato believed that
phenomena are “fragile and weak forms of
reality”. They do not represent an object’s
true essence.
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13. The concept of ‘Ideals’
• Forms = perfect Ideals, types of things. They
are not created.
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The World of the Forms (The Real World) The Material World (Our World/The Cave)
Each Form is One (there is only one idea of
beauty)
Particulars are many (there are many beautiful
things)
Only known through our intellect/reason Only known through our empirical sense
Eternal Always coming in and out of existence (birth and
death)
Unchanging Always changing into something else
Non-physical Material objects
Perfect Imperfect

14. The relation between the Form of the Good and the other Forms
• The ultimate Form is the Form of the Good.
• Understanding the FOG, we can understand that any
good act = imitation of the Good.
• The FOG illuminates the other Forms; it enables us to
‘see’ the Forms.
• The aim of everything is goodness.
• FOG was understood later by Christians as explaining
God.
• Hierarchy of the Forms = Physical inanimate objects 
Physical living objects  Concepts and Ideals 
Universal qualities (justice, truth and beauty)  The
Good.
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15. Evaluation of Plato’s Forms
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Strengths Weaknesses
• It explains why we all recognise the same
essential elements in something.
• You can’t prove the world of the Forms exists.
• Helps us understand why there are
imperfections around us.
• Infinite regression.
• Encourages us to question and not accept
things at face value.
• Not everything can have an ideal form.
• Cannot be applied to the world we live in.
• “Senses are inferior” but we have relied on
them for survival for thousands of years.

16. 3. Aristotle: ideas about cause and purpose in relation to God
(Metaphysics Book 12)
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17. Define potentiality
• When something contains the ingredients to
become something else.
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18. Define actuality
• When an object fulfils its potential and
becomes something else.
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19. The Four Causes
• Material Cause - The things out of which an
object is created.
• Efficient Cause - The way in which an object is
created.
• Formal Cause - The plan that led to its
creation, what caused it?
• Final Cause - The aim for which an object is
created.
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20. Plato vs Aristotle
• Aristotle: Emphasises value of studying the
physical world (empirical study, more of a
scientist)
• Rejects Plato’s theory of the Forms
• Rejects dualism (belief in the separation of the
mind/soul and body, the soul is what lives on)
• Rejects Plato’s understanding of the soul
(materialistic view)
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21. Aristotle’s Concept of the Prime Mover
• Exists by necessity (could not fail to exist)
• Not capable of change
• Is pure actuality
• Has a good nature as a lack of goodness means
that you can do better (meaning you can change)
• Is the Final Cause (why things exist)
• “The final cause, then, produces motion as being
loved”
• Is the goal of all action
• PM is the cause of all motion
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22. Problems and Evaluation
• The relationship between the PM and the universe is
unclear.
• Aristotle’s PM is transcendent whilst Judaeo-Christian
God is immanent.
• The idea that the PM causes the universe and events in
it through ‘thinking’ is vague and unclear.
• Aristotle’s God is perfect, so it can only think of itself.
The PM can only know itself and can’t know or have a
part in our lives.
• Is there really a final cause or purpose to the universe?
Does there have to be a cause of the universe, can’t it
just be there? (Bertrand Russell).
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23. God in Aristotle
• In Metaphysics, Aristotle links the PM with
God and concludes that God is a “living being,
eternal, most good, so that life and duration
continuous and eternal belong to God; for this
is God”
• God as Prime Mover is “complete reality”
• God in Aristotle’s thinking is a necessary being
who is eternal, transcendent and impersonal.
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