>The third man argument (commonly referred to as TMA; Greek: τρίτος ἄνθρωπος), first offered by Plato in his dialogue Parmenides (132a–b), is a philosophical criticism of Plato's own theory of Forms. This argument was furthered by Aristotle (Metaphysics 990b17=1079a13, 1039a2; Sophistic Refutations 178b36 ff.) who used the example of a man (hence the name of the argument) to explain this objection to Plato's theory; he posits that if a man is a man because he partakes in the form of man, then a third form would be required to explain how man and the form of man are both man, and so on, ad infinitum.
who gives a fuck if they go on to infinity?
>>9660244
Infinite regresses are problematic not because they are infinite, but because they do not provide a primitive explanation as to where, in this case, "man" comes from
Not a third form but an ultimate form.
>>9660244
>who gives a fuck if they go on to infinity?
>he thinks he's everybody
this is why you have no room left for forms of your gf, in any dimension
>>9660244
am i stupid for not knowing why a man and the form of man are both man? the form of man isn't a man, it's a form right
I don't get it.
>>9660244
It may be because I'm tired, but why does man need a third entity to explain how he takes the form of man, can't he recognize himself as man, just by either recognizing himself that he takes the physical form of man, or by recognizing that he is able to recognize the form (idea, Idk) of something, and therefore is man?
>>9660244
There's this comic that explains all of philosophy and it goes
>"if X is true then I will be sad, therefore X is not true"
>>9663179
Fuck okay now I get it, it's actually very simple. Shame on me for not getting this the moment I read it.
>>9663179
In this case "man" is being treated as an object, the same way as a table or something is one. And thus incapable of recognizing itself.
Does the world of forms really contain composite forms? I thought plato's position was that there exists no form of man, but there do exist various components of manliness.
>>9664132
Pls respond