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Conception Of Truth And Knowledge Research Paper

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PHIL 1002W: Intro to Philosophy
February 10, 2016
Paper 1
Conception of Truth & Knowledge The search for truth and knowledge has been a tenet of philosophy for centuries, and thousands of philosophers have offered up their own version of how and why truth and knowledge exist. This paper will explore the ideas of two strikingly different conceptions, set forth by four different philosophers. Plato and Aristotle argue for a truth independent of the human condition, one which is objective and universal. Hobbes and Nietzsche, on the other hand, argue for a far more dependent version of truth, functioning within the human condition and within human interaction with truth and how we define knowledge. While each philosopher adequately argues for …show more content…

It is necessary to first explore the conception of truth knowledge shared by Plato and Aristotle. The basis of Plato and Aristotle’s version of truth can be defined by Aristotle in “Metaphysics,” Book IV. He writes: “To say of what is that it is not, or of what is not that it is, is false, while to say of what is that it is, and of what is not that it is not, is true, so that the one who says that something is or is not is either right or wrong.” This statement shows the black-and white version of truth that Aristotle and Plato push forward. There is only right or wrong, true and false. Truth is something that exists beyond the scope of the individual, and it is something that exists independent of the human condition and independent of the mind and language that surrounds it. Truth is dependent on nothing – it simply exists. While Plato tends to disconnect the mind from the body, Aristotle …show more content…

The idea of a universal truth is far too black and white to function within the confines of humanity. To separate truth and knowledge from the world we exist within is an impossible task. Plato and Aristotle are looking at a complicated subject too simply by attempting to separate things that are naturally intertwined (for example, the mind and body). For there to be an objective truth and knowledge, there must be a disconnect from perspective and experience that is individualized to a single person. By situating truth and knowledge within experience and the confines of reality, these philosophers are able to create a far more dynamic version of truth and knowledge than the rather static and unchanging idea of truth and knowledge supported by Plato and Aristotle. A dynamic view of truth and knowledge is necessary, as humanity functions within a dynamic and changing world. To separate the individual from the experiences and surroundings they inhabit and languages they use is nonsensical because these influences inherently affect knowledge and perspective so greatly. Philosophers such as Plato have shielded themselves from the influence of the material world by disconnecting the body and soul, which in turn causes flaws in their argument for a universal truth and objective form of knowledge. While Plato and Aristotle each offer a strong argument of

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