UGFN1000

In Dialogue with Nature

與自然對話
Plato, Republic
David Lindberg, The Beginnings of
Western Science
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Core Questions

Why truth matters?

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 Plato’s view on reality
• Q1. Texts 1a & 1b, para.32-34: In Plato’s view, “true
reality (reality in its fullness) is located only in the world
of Forms”. (12 min.)
a) What are the features of Forms? Explain them.
b) How does Plato’s allegory of the cave fit into his theory of
Forms?
Forms/ Sensible objects/
Objects outside the cave Shadows of the artifact
Primary existence Secondary existence
… …

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 Discussion
Q2. Difficulties of apprehending the true reality (8
min.)
•Text 1a, para. 8-10; Text 1b, para. 34, 36-38: What
are the difficulties to apprehend the true reality (the
world of forms)?

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 Q3. Scenarios (10 min.)
a) If you were the prisoner “who was honored and held
power” (Text 1a, para. 15) and you trusted the freed
prisoner (who was your best friend), would you
follow him to go outside the cave? Why? Does truth
matter?
b) If you were the freed prisoner, would you go back to
the cave and save your friends? Why? Does truth
matter? What did Plato think (in Text 1a, para. 17,
19-20)?

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 Summary
• What is real? Two views on reality
– Sense experience
– Changelessness (Plato)
• Why is it so difficult to apprehend the true reality?
– Sense vs. reason? Text 2 and Text 3 (Text 2b*)
– Correspondence and coherence
• Why truth matters?