Question Database: Ancient Philosophy: Plato
Parmenides
The Theory of Forms and the 'Third Man' Argument
1. The One over Many principle (OM): If a set of things share a given character, then there exists a unique Form corresponding to that character.
2. The Self-Predication Assumption (SP): The Form corresponding to a given character itself is that character: The F itself is F. (Predicated of itself.)
3. The Non-Identity Assumption (NI): If anything has a given character by participating in a Form, it is not identical to that Form.
1-3 together result in an infinite regress of Forms.
If you were Plato, what would be an acceptable solution to the Third Man Argument?
A. Reject NI: there is only one text for it and it's dubious.
B. Reject the idea that there is one OVER the many. No separate Form, but no Third Man Argument.
C. SP does not mean that the Form itself possesses the property in question, but just that it is a Form with a special nature
D. All of the above
Answer: C
Topic:
Course Level:
Second year ancient philosophy
Notes:
A. This does not quite solve the problem. if Largeness is large then the Form has itself as a property. Can something have itself as a property?
B. Not acceptable to Plato: there is such a thing as justice even if there are no just people (or just cities)
C. Fair enough. But the Sophist will present a problem for this strategy: Forms self-participate.