,PLS1501 Assignment 2 (COMPLETE ANSWERS)
Semester 1 2025 - ; 100% correct solutions and
explanations.
OPTION A
Aristotle, in contrast to Plato, offered a distinct
perspective on the nature of knowledge and how we
acquire it.
In an essay, critically discuss Aristotle's approach
to understanding the world, focussing on his
concepts of particulars and universals.
Guidelines for answering option A:
1. Clearly explain Aristotle's view of the relationship
between particulars (individual objects) and universals
(general concepts or categories). How does this
relationship form the basis of his epistemology?
2. Explore Aristotle's theory of how we gain knowledge
through sensory experience and abstraction.
3. Explain Aristotle's concept of "form" as it relates to both
particulars and universals.
4. Critically analyse the strengths and weaknesses of
Aristotle's empirical approach. You might consider points
such as (you can include answers to these, or your own
analysis based on the prescribed reading and your own
research):
, i. The problem of induction: Can we truly generalize
from particular observations to universal truths?
ii.The limitations of sensory experience: Are our
senses always reliable?
5. Remember, this essay is not an opinion piece, it is an
academic philosophical essay. Therefore, you must draw
from the Study Guide and further research. You cannot
simply state your own opinion without providing
evidence to support your claims.
6. Ensure that you have references in the body of your essay
as well as at the end of your essay (bibliography).
Reading for the Assignment: Learning Unit 2 of the Study
Guide.
Aristotle’s Approach to Understanding the World:
Particulars and Universals
Introduction
Aristotle, in contrast to Plato, developed an empirical
approach to understanding the world, emphasizing the
significance of sensory experience and abstraction in
acquiring knowledge. Central to his philosophy is the
relationship between particulars (individual objects) and
universals (general concepts or categories). Unlike Plato, who
posited the existence of an independent realm of Forms,
Aristotle argued that universals exist within particular things
and are discerned through experience. This essay critically
Semester 1 2025 - ; 100% correct solutions and
explanations.
OPTION A
Aristotle, in contrast to Plato, offered a distinct
perspective on the nature of knowledge and how we
acquire it.
In an essay, critically discuss Aristotle's approach
to understanding the world, focussing on his
concepts of particulars and universals.
Guidelines for answering option A:
1. Clearly explain Aristotle's view of the relationship
between particulars (individual objects) and universals
(general concepts or categories). How does this
relationship form the basis of his epistemology?
2. Explore Aristotle's theory of how we gain knowledge
through sensory experience and abstraction.
3. Explain Aristotle's concept of "form" as it relates to both
particulars and universals.
4. Critically analyse the strengths and weaknesses of
Aristotle's empirical approach. You might consider points
such as (you can include answers to these, or your own
analysis based on the prescribed reading and your own
research):
, i. The problem of induction: Can we truly generalize
from particular observations to universal truths?
ii.The limitations of sensory experience: Are our
senses always reliable?
5. Remember, this essay is not an opinion piece, it is an
academic philosophical essay. Therefore, you must draw
from the Study Guide and further research. You cannot
simply state your own opinion without providing
evidence to support your claims.
6. Ensure that you have references in the body of your essay
as well as at the end of your essay (bibliography).
Reading for the Assignment: Learning Unit 2 of the Study
Guide.
Aristotle’s Approach to Understanding the World:
Particulars and Universals
Introduction
Aristotle, in contrast to Plato, developed an empirical
approach to understanding the world, emphasizing the
significance of sensory experience and abstraction in
acquiring knowledge. Central to his philosophy is the
relationship between particulars (individual objects) and
universals (general concepts or categories). Unlike Plato, who
posited the existence of an independent realm of Forms,
Aristotle argued that universals exist within particular things
and are discerned through experience. This essay critically
