RS - Philosophy of religion

Metaphysics?

the study of the structure of reality

epistomology

the study of the nature of knowledge

imperisism

most knowledge comes from experience

• gain knowledge through our senses, don’t entirely reject reason but believe experience is better

rationalism

reason is the main source for gaining knowledge

Strong rationalist v weak rationalist

• strong believe knowledge based only on reason (plato)

• weak believe reason is main and most reliable source of knowledge

Priori knowledge

• knowledge gained without the need for personal experience and use accepted fact

posteriori knowledge

• knowledge that requires personal experience in order to be gained

• empiricists would follow this logic

What were Plato’s beliefs?

• 427-347 BC

• his quest was to find stability, stillness and certainty

• this led to his idea of the forms (an unchanging realm)

• he thought knowledge was innate

Platos beleif’ of knowledge

• believed truth was eternal, immutable (unchanging) and perfect

• believed knowledge was innate (is in us from birth and part of our logic) and we rediscover it rather than learn new things

• believes innate knowledge comes from a ‘prior existence’ in some perfect world

• he believed knowledge was eternal perfect and immutable and the world was changing, imperfect ect and so we cannot trust our senses to give us accurate knowledge

• believed anything emprical formed an opinion rather than a truth