Plato on Being and Knowing

Abstract

This chapter examines how the exegesis of the passage in Phaedo in which Plato announces a turn from Naturalism to Platonism presumes the existence of Forms as explanatory entities, albeit recognizing their instrumental role in ultimate explanation. It looks at the distinction between “having” and “participating”—which may be expressed as the difference between unique and non-unique predication—as well as the distinction between “sense-perceiving” and “thinking.” The theory of Forms explains how sameness among things not numerically identical is possible, something that nominalism finds impossible. The chapter then considers nominalism and its connection to relativism, and explores the different accounts that Platonism and Naturalism each gives of eternity and time. It also reflects on the nature and possibility of knowledge, and presents some exigencies of knowledge and belief.