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Plato’s Metaphysics ● While metaphysics deals with understanding the nature of reality, epistemology deals with the nature of knowledge itself. The two are strongly connected because we must understand our knowledge of reality in order to understand reality. ● Plato was an apprentice of Socrates, who was executed for searching for truth and wisdom and exposing the frauds who silenced this thought. His execution inspires Plato to pursue philosophy almost religiously in the search for truth and the battle against ignorance. ○ Plato worried that the masses could be too easily swayed by strong rhetoric and persuasive orators, so his mission was to teach philosophy to followers in order to encourage independent thinking and questioning. He opened the Academy and was both a writer and a teacher. ○ He taught using Socrates’ technique of public discussion, and Plato’s discussions often involved Socrates as the main character. However, while his early plays were likely based on Socrates’ actual words, his later plays and discussions were more of Plato’s thinking. ● Plato tries to combining two conflicting views about the nature of reality: those of Heraclitus and Parmenides. ○ Heraclitus: the nature of reality constantly changes. The world we experience is always changing, including people themselves. (“No man can ever step in the same river twice.”) ○ Parmenides: our senses deceive us by convincing us th