Final answer:
The Great Chain of Being is the metaphor used to describe the hierarchical system of the universe in classical and medieval western thought. It portrays a divinely structured order encompassing gods, humans, and all of nature, evident in various cultures and religions as well as in the work of Plato, Aristotle, and through to medieval Christian scholars.
Step-by-step explanation:
The metaphor employed in the classical and medieval western conception of the universe's order is known as the Great Chain of Being. This hierarchical system suggests that everything in the universe, including gods, humans, and the natural world, is connected in a divinely ordained hierarchy.
The idea of a structured order was embraced by different cultures and religions, including the Greeks who sought order in divine hierarchy and later through philosophy by figures like Socrates. Hinduism also presents a hierarchical structure in both the cosmos and societal structure through the caste system initiated during the Vedic period. The Christian medieval perspective, influenced by thinkers like Aristotle through the work of St. Thomas Aquinas, interwove this concept within a Christian framework, seeing the universe as a series of interconnected steps or stages that lead up to a supreme being.
Plato and Aristotle's ideas also supported the concept of a hierarchical cosmology and society, with class structures organized according to the nature and capabilities of its members. This cosmological approach was prevalent in early Greek and Roman philosophies and continued through to medieval Christian theology. The cosmological argument, often used to demonstrate the existence of God, is rooted in the observation of the universe's order and existence, reflecting this hierarchical view.