Plato's theory of recollection, or anamnesis, suggests that knowledge is not
acquired through sensory experience but rather is innate within the soul, pre-
existing birth. It posits that humans remember knowledge they possessed in a
previous state, before birth, through a process of recollection, essentially
rediscovering knowledge they already know. This theory contrasts with
empiricism, which emphasizes learning through experience.
Plato's theory of reminiscence posits that all knowledge is innate, acquired in a
pre-earth existence before birth, and then retrieved through the process of
recollection or remembering
Story/Example (Socrates' Meno): Plato illustrates this in his dialogue Meno, where
Socrates, through a series of questions, helps an uneducated slave boy "recollect"
geometric truths. This demonstrates that knowledge is not implanted but awakened
from within.
The physical world (world of particulars) is considered
both real and unreal by Plato; it has a degree of
reality but is not as real as the world of Ideas.
The world of Ideas is considered more real, the true
and ultimate reality.
Criticism
Not copy theory
a. How can be the copy of universal, a particular
either both should be particular or universal
b. If all things in the world are mere copies, then
this world becomes completely unreal, but plato
has accepted this world to be real and unreal.
c. When the original is same, some thinkers
question the difference found in particulars.
Participation theory
a. Participation theory is ambiguous
b. According to AD Wozely, only universal can
participate in another universal. How can an
individual participate in an universal, because
universal has been accepted to be beyond space
and time, while individuals are restricted in this
world by empirical senses, bound by space and
time.
c. If individual participates in universal, then it is
like accepting that universal is present in
particular. This will make the world more real
than what plato granted.
Expression theory
According to Plato, the physical world is an
expression of world of ideas, but comparing the physical
world to shadow will make it absolutely unreal. But
Plato has granted some reality to the physical world also
when he was explaining it through participation theory.
Note – According to critiques, copy/participation theory
was originally given by Socrates, which Plato initially
accepted but then rejected later on.
Aristotle’s criticism
Aristotle gave two main criticisms
1. Ideas can’t explain the nature of things and the
existence of particular things
2. There can’t be any relation between the
transcendental world and particular worldly
things
These two arguments have been broadened into or
elaborated into 5 main points.
1. Acc. To Aristotle, the purpose of philosophy is to
explain this empirical world by Plato’s ideas
outside this world. Therefore, Plato can’t explain
things of this world.
2. Ideas are accepted as eternal, absolute,
changeless, and static. Therefore, ideas can't
explain the motion, change and the development
of this world.
3. Aristotle also criticizes the idea of plato as they
are mere replication of worldly things. It is the
man which leads to the idea of manness or it is
the cow that leads to the idea of cowness, Plato
has said that man is the copy of idea of man, but
in reality, once we see a man, we reach to the idea
of man.\
4. Aristotle also pointed out that the relation
between the idea and the particular leads to the
fallacy of third man. (Plato has himself discuss
about this)
5. Aristotle criticizes the realistic theory of
universal acceptance by Plato. According to
Aristotle ideas of universal are the essence of the
particulars and they must exist in man, to make
him a man. Therefore essence of something can't
be outside the object. Eg – Beauty must exist in
beautiful things.
Evaluation and estimates
1. Aristotle was the disciple of Plato and himself
accepted ideas or forms or universals but Aristotle
differs from Plato as we accepted the idea within the
particular and not outside it.
For Aristotle universal and particulars are
Interdependent .
2. Plato couldn't explain his relation between ideas and
objects as sometimes he made ideas transcendental
but also accepted the immanent nature of ideas by
keeping theories like participation theory etc.
3. Plato has accepted this world to be real and unreal as
he says the world is not as real as ideas, but it is not
absolutely real.
4. All the criticism is because of the
misunderstandings of the poetic language used by
Plato. By saying that ideas are in transcendental
words he just wanted to give it higher degree of
reality.
5. Aristotle failed to understand a significance of
Plato’s remarks and the metaphorical nature of
statements. There were certain similarities between
both also.
6. Plato accepted god as the efficient cause of this
world, who has created this world by taking ideas as
the model and Aristotle also has accepted God as pure
form.
7. It can also be said that Aristotle might have
deliberately criticized Plato to establish on theory.
