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Aristotle 's Views On Metaphysics And Epistemology

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Nolynn Kaufman

Professor Jacobs

Paper 1- What is Real and How to Know It

10-1-2014

What is Real and How to Know It

Throughout time, people have always had varying views and ideas of everything. Through philosophy, these views and ideas can be put into solid words, theories, and assertions. Two very influential and famous philosophers are Plato and Aristotle. Although Aristotle was a student of Plato, they have differing views of metaphysics and epistemology. Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy that attempts to give a complete and systematic account of all reality and existence. Epistemology is a branch of philosophy that studies the nature and grounds of knowledge; epistemology asks what something is and how it came to be. One’s metaphysical position influences and affects their epistemological view by forming opinions on what is real or not and coming to knowledge through experience and/or by their metaphysical beliefs of reality.
Metaphysics is essentially one’s view on reality and what is real. According to Plato, there are two worlds; one that consists of the forms (non-material and abstract ideas that possess the highest and most fundamental reality), and one that we live in that consists of physical things that seem real and are able to be detected by the 5 senses. Plato thinks that the only world to be concerned with is the one of forms, for that is the only real one. According to Aristotle, there is only the sensible and physical world that we live

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