orms as "separate entities in which the individual particulars of this world obscurely participate" (219). Aristotle differed in that he said Forms were embedded in the particulars. The consequence of Plato's account, according to Aristotle, was the conclusion that 'if form is what we know and we assume that it is separate from the space-time world, then it follows that we cannot know the space-time world.' Plato's Forms to Aristotle are mere abstractions, but certainly not the whole of reality (Jones 219).Topic #4: Forms as Final CausesIn The Development of Plato's Metaphysics, Forms are considered to be formal and final causes, or "reasons" or "explanations" (Teloh 134). Teloh gives examples of Forms being final causes and describes how Forms, in the Republic, are true objects of love and love strives for true Being. Plato suggests "Justice and Injustice, Good and Evil, Beauty and Ugliness" because people strive in varying degrees for one of each opposite pair (134). The Form 'the Good' is seen as having pervasive teleological influence, according to Plato. "The Good is the ultimate object of human striving" and is therefore concluded to be a final and not an efficient cause (Teloh 136).Vlastos refutes the idea that Forms are teleological aitiai, or causes (Teloh). He has three arguments against the concept that Forms are final causes. The first is that teleological causes do not exist until they are achieved and Forms do not come into being. Next, he claims that "teleology implies change or motion, hence it is a prerogative of mind or soul, and not the Forms, since they are absolutely immutable (Teloh 135). Lastly, he tries to explain that in the Phaedo, the existence of Forms is hypothesized after Socrates has already admitted that he himself cannot find the teleological causes. Teloh then refutes Vlastos in saying that the first two reasons he gives for Forms not being teleological causes misunderstand the nature of P...
