PH 210 Ancient/Medieval Philosophy Paper

PH 210 Ancient/Medieval Philosophy
Answer all the questions. Give textual evidence.

1. Discuss Plato’s distinction of two types of knowledge. How does the doctrine of the forms provide for scientific knowledge and at the same time account for change? Why does Plato write dialogue instead of prose? Who or what was Socrates arguing against in Plato’s Phaedrus ?

2. Compare and contrast Aristotle’s notion of universal concepts with the Platonic forms. Briefly explain their different accounts for the problem of Being and becoming. What constitutes their epistemological and metaphysical differences?

3. According to Aristotle, in what sense is metaphysics said to be the science of first causes. How does metaphysics as first philosophy compare to the other sciences? Why does he call it the “Divine Science”? What is its proper object of study?