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According to the 'Handbook of Epistemology,' does Plato believe in knowledge that is synthetic and a posteriori, or does he only accept synthetic a priori knowledge?

User Sbharti
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Final answer:

Plato's traditional account of knowledge focuses on synthetic a priori knowledge rather than synthetic a posteriori knowledge; he holds a belief in eternal forms that can be intellectually recollected without reliance on sense perception.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to Plato's theory of knowledge, which is also known as the traditional account of knowledge, Plato endorses the idea that knowledge is justified true belief (JTB). This means that for a person (S) to know a proposition (P), three conditions must be met: the proposition must be believed by S, the proposition must be true, and S must be justified in believing that P is true. In this framework, Plato's position is more aligned with the concept of synthetic a priori knowledge, knowledge that is gained through reason alone and does not rely on sensory experience. In Plato’s philosophy, the realm of eternal forms or ideas, which are the essences of things, can be known through intellectual recollection, not through sense experience.

This suggests that Plato does not emphasize a posteriori knowledge, which is empirical and derived from sense perception. Indeed, his theory implies a clear distinction between the higher knowledge of forms, obtained a priori, and the lesser knowledge obtained from the experience of physical reality.

User VVV
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