Readings in Platonism

Chapter 2 of Lloyd Gerson's 'Platonism and Naturalism: The Possibility of Philosophy' lays out the contours of the opposition between Platonism and Naturalism. Gerson once again spells out his understanding of Platonism in terms of the five "antis" (positions rejected by all Platonists) he first introduced in his book 'Aristotle and Other Platonists'. Accordingly, it is the rejection of materialism, mechanism, nominalism, relativism and skepticism that form the foundational elements upon which various forms of Platonism are constructed. gerson understands Naturalism to have its historical roots in these positions rejected by Platonists. Given the stark "all-or-nothing" nature of this opposition, many philosophers have attempted some sort of "rapproachement" between these two extremes, with those committed to certain elements of one or the other position, attempting to borrow elements from the other. Gerson aims to demonstrate the instability of any such compromise, given the systematic connection between the five "antis".

@00:18 - What is Platonism?
@22:35 - What is Naturalism?
@39:23 - Methodological, Philosophical Naturalism
@50:59 - A Rapproachement?