Aristotle Essay, Research Paper
Aristotle was perhaps the first and greatest of all polymaths, being credited with the founding of logic. He is said to have transformed every field of logic that he touched (apart from mathematics where Plato and Platonic thought remained supreme). He divided human knowledge into separate categories, which enabled our understanding of the world to develop in systematics fashion. Resulting in the modern world of science. Aristotelian thought has given rise to many philosophical questions that lead many modern day philosophers to wonder how dangerous the flaws are in our way of thinking as well as what the flaws are preventing us from learning.
Aristotle was born in 383 B.C. at ancient Stagira in Greek Macedonia. It was here that he lived with his father, Nicomachus, the personal physician to the King of Macedonia and the grandfather of Alexander the Great. Aristotle’s father was a rich man, owning many estates throughout Greece. Aristotle was brought up in an atmosphere of medical learning, until his father died.
After his father died, Aristotle was taken to Atarneus where he was brought up by his cousin. It was here that he blew the entire inheritance left to him by his father. He then returned to Stagira where he studies medicine. At the age of thirty-two he gave up all of his medical career and went to Athens to study under Plato.
Under Plato he intensely studied and established himself as the finest mind of his generation. Shortly after being a student under Plato, because he excelled greatly, he was asked to be a colleague of Plato. Because of the fact that Aristotle worshiped Plato and absorbed the Platonic doctrine, to begin with, he accepted as colleague under Plato. His own philosophy was later to be firmly grounded in the Platonic Doctrine. Because Aristotle was far to bright to be a mere “follower” of anyone, even Plato, he felt it his intellectual duty to point out any contradiction he discerned. This resulted in an irritated Plato, though they appeared not to have quarreled, evidence suggest that the two greatest minds of their time, found it politic to maintain certain distance.
Aristotle had a natural inclination toward the practical and the scientific, which led him to view Plato’s ideas from an increasingly realistic standpoint. Shifting away from Plato’s view that the particular world we perceive around us consist of mere appearances and the ultimate reality lies in a further world of ideas, Aristotle tended to have more of a scientific mind and became more convinced that he was living in the real. Aristotle saw forms more as essences embodied in the substance of the world, with no separate existence of their own. The contradictions in Aristotle’s words gave medieval scholars food for endless controversy arising from different interpretations of the two doctrines.
Aristotle also had a very profound understanding of politics, which he displayed in Athens when he Hernias, a Greek mercenary who took of a portion of Asia Minor, on the best way to go about making Atarneus a center of Greek culture. His political philosophy consist largely of an examination of the different types of state, and how best they can be run. Aristotle’s belief was that the purpose of state was to produce and support a class of cultured gentlemen, such as himself, although he understood that this was not always possible.
As Aristotle approached middle age, he fell in love. The object of his affection being a young girl by the name of Pythias. In Aristotle’s remarks of marriage, he announced that the best age to marry is 37 for a man and 18 for a women, surprisingly the age of both he and Pythias when they were married. Although Aristotle was said to be brilliant, imagination was obviously not his strong point. This makes it all the more ironic that in his Poetics, the Prosaic Aristotle sets out the most influential elucidation of poetry ever written. Aristotle had ver high regard for poetry, claiming that it was more important than history because it was more philosophical.
Later in his life, Aristotle became deeply interested in the classification of plants and animals. In his works on Nature, Aristotle attempted to discover a hierarchy of classes and species, but was overwhelmed by the volume of his research. He claimed that ” Nature does nothing in vain”. Aristotle was convinced that nature had a purpose and that each feature it possessed was there for a reason.
By age forty-two Aristotle was known as the leading intellectual throughout Greece.
Philip of Maecedon, invited Aristotle to tutor his young, unruly son Alexander. It was here that one of the finest minds the world has ever seen set about trying to educate the head strong young pupil, who during the three years under Aristotle learned absolutely nothing.
Aristotle’s most significant achievement was in the field of logic. Logic, as Aristotle came to see it, is the foundation on which all learning is based. Plato understood that knowledge could be discovered by dialect, Aristotle formalized this idea with his discovery of syllogism. Syllogism showed that “when certain things are stated, it can be shown that some other thing other than what is stated necessarily follows”.
Aristotle, in his late years, was forced to flee Athens in fear of facing the death penalty. This was on account of Alexander the Great’s death which aroused the resentment of the Athenians for being under Macedonian rule. Since Aristotle was born in Macedonia, he was arraigned on a charge of impiety. To prevent Athens from ” sinning twice against philosophy”, he fled to Chalkis where he would soon die.
After his death, his will portrays him as an essentially prosaic, decent man, his character utterly unwarped by being the vehicle of supreme genius. No doubt Aristotle was just that. He broadened the thought process of mankind to such an extent, that philosophers are still puzzled over his logic. He was indeed one of the finest minds the earth had ever seen.
Другие работы по теме:
Oedipus The King Essay Research Paper 3
Oedipus The King Essay, Research Paper 3. How Sophocles? Oedipus the King fits the description of tragedy provided by Aristotle? Why does Aristotle believe tragedy is superior to epic poetry?
Aristotle S And Modern Thought Essay Research
Paper Aristotle s and Modern Thought Aristotle s thoughts of ethics conclude that all humans must have a purpose in life in order to be happy. I believe that some of the basics of his ideas still hold true today. This essay points out some of those ideas.
Aristotle On Excellence In Leadership Essay Research
Paper “But when a whole family, or some individual, happens to be so preeminent in excellence as to surpass all others, then it is just that they should be the royal family and supreme over all, or that this one citizen should be king.”(1288a15-20)
Sophocles And Aristotle Essay Research Paper Sophocles
Sophocles And Aristotle Essay, Research Paper Sophocles and Aristotle: The Rules of Writing Writing, particularly story writing, is an art. When a person sets out to create a painting, there are certain rules of composition that need to be followed. In the art of writing, it is the same. There are rules of composition for writing and they must be followed by the writer.
Aristotle Essay Research Paper In Aristotle
Aristotle Essay, Research Paper In Aristotle’s Metaphysics, he discusses what he believes to be the theory of origin. One must differentiate Aristotle’s theory with that of creation. The word “creation” implies a biblical idea. Aristotle was not familiar with the biblical text and therefore did not understand the concept of “creation” in the biblical sense.
Aristotle Essay Research Paper One would like
Aristotle Essay, Research Paper One would like to believe that there are many factors that distinguish humans from animals. On the contrary, many philosophers believe that there is just one difference between man and animal: reason.
Aristotle 2 Essay Research Paper Aristotle s
Aristotle 2 Essay, Research Paper Aristotle s Life Aristotle (384-322 BC) was a Greek philosopher, educator, and scientist, and was also one of the most influential thinkers in Western culture (World Book 663). Through his writings, Aristotle considered, summarized, criticized, and helped to further develop many of these traditions from which he had learned from Plato, his teacher.
Aristotle Essay Research Paper AristotleAristotle was a
Aristotle Essay, Research Paper Aristotle Aristotle was a Greek philosopher, educator, and scientist. He was one of the greatest and most influential thinkers in Western culture. He familiarized himself with the entire development of Greek thought preceding him. In his own writings, Aristotle considered, summarized, criticized, and further developed all the intellectual tradition that he had inherited from his teacher, Plato.
Aristotle On Ethics Essay Research Paper 1
Aristotle On Ethics Essay, Research Paper 1) Explain fully Aristotle?s approach to Ethics. What is the goal of the ethical life? What type of soul is capable of realizing the good life? How do we
Aristotle 3 Essay Research Paper PhilosophyMoral Virtue
Aristotle 3 Essay, Research Paper Philosophy Moral Virtue and the Mean In this reading Aristotle describes virtue concerning actions and passions, and the choice of how we become our actions and passions is either of excess, defect, or intermediate. Excess and deficiency both forms of failure and the intermediate (mean) a form of success.
Tragic Hero Essay Research Paper While Aristotle
Tragic Hero Essay, Research Paper While Aristotle’s analysis of tragedy may not be directly related to his philosophy of rhetoric, no study of Aristotle would by complete without a short introduction.
Aristotle Essay Research Paper Aristotle The Most
Aristotle Essay, Research Paper Aristotle: The Most Influential Greek Thinker Aristotle was one of the most influential thinkers in western culture, and a Greek philosopher, teacher, and scientist. He was probably the most scholarly and learned of the ancient Greek Philosophers. Aristotle mastered the entire development of Greek though before him and employed this knowledge in his writings.
Aristotle 384 322 BC Essay Research Paper
Aristotle (384 -322 BC) ARISTOTLE’S LIFE Aristotle, Greek philosopher and scientist, is one of the most famous of ancient philosophers. He was born in Stagira, Greece to a physician to the royal court.
Poetics Essay Research Paper The subject of
Poetics Essay, Research Paper The subject of the Poetics is poetry, including epic poetry, tragedy and comedy. Unlike Plato, Aristotle regards poetry as a techne. The practice of poetry is governed by rules; these rules can be formulated and taught. Poetry is rationally comprehensible.
Aristotle On Virtue Essay Research Paper Aristotle
Aristotle On Virtue Essay, Research Paper Aristotle’s Views on Virtue Aristotle explains virtue by first explaining what things are found in the soul. He says that the soul has three things-passions, faculties, and states of character, and virtue must be one of these. Passions are things such as anger, fear, longing, and joy.
Aristotle Defination Of Friendship Essay Research Paper
Friendship is undoubtedly one of the most important elements in the books of Aristotle s ethical principles. Aristotle takes the idea of friendship to a serious degree. He categorizes them into three groups or types of friendships. This report will attempt to define each type of friendship as well as identify the role of friendship in a society.
Plato Vs Aristotle Essay Research Paper How
Plato Vs. Aristotle Essay, Research Paper How do we explain the world around us? How can we get to the truth? Plato and Aristotle began the quest to find the answers thousands of years ago. Amazingly, all of philosophy since that time can be described as only a rehashing of the original argument between Plato and Aristotle.
Metaphysics Essay Research Paper METAPHYSICSTHEORY OF KNOWLEDGE
Metaphysics Essay, Research Paper METAPHYSICS THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE AND BEYOND The complex knowledge of metaphysics ? once comprehended ? is capable of helping an individual reach self-realization. Aristotle, a renowned man of thinking, conjured metaphysics to help understand the theories of intelligence – - it?s core of existence and where it comes from, truth, and cause.
Plato And Aristotle Essay Research Paper Nearly
Plato And Aristotle Essay, Research Paper Nearly all humans have the goal to live a virtuous and happy life. Two of the world most acknowledged philosophers, Plato and Aristotle, had their own views on this central issue. Plato supported the understanding view; he believed understanding is the key to living a virtuous life.
Plato Essay Research Paper There are many
Plato Essay, Research Paper There are many ways in which the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle have reached that of that of Saint Thomas Aquinas, due to the fact that Aristotle thought the world that we live in today is the ultimate reality. While Plato thought the world that we see every day is real but is not the ultimate reality.
Aristotle Essay Research Paper Aristotle b 384
Aristotle Essay, Research Paper Aristotle (b. 384 – d. 322 BC), was a Greek philosopher, logician, and scientist. Along with his teacher Plato, Aristotle is generally regarded as one of the most
Aristotle On Politics Essay Research Paper The
Aristotle On Politics Essay, Research Paper The central concern of theorists is to establish a form of constitution that a society will likely succeed. Political success according to Aristotle is determined by the happiness of the citizens of the society. Aristotle’s vision of a perfect government all begins with the character of the citizenry leading to the happiness of a whole state.
Aristotle Essay Research Paper Aristotle analyzes the
Aristotle Essay, Research Paper Aristotle analyzes the goods and the virtues that lead to human beings toward happiness in book one of Nicomachean Ethics. According to Aristotle, every activity has an end (or goal); another way of saying this is that the aim of every activity is some kind of good. Concerning this, human existence itself must have some ultimate good.
On Aristotle Essay Research Paper On Aristotle
On Aristotle Essay, Research Paper On Aristotle Aristotle is wrong in holding the assumption that humans should be held in higher esteem than animals should, based upon writings that he himself wrote. At times he seems to contradict himself, and at other times makes generalities that could not possibly be taken seriously.
Aristotle Essay Research Paper How did Aristotle
Aristotle Essay, Research Paper How did Aristotle become a philosopher and what did he do? Aristotle was born in 384 BCE. at Stagirus, a Greek colony on the coast of Thrace. ??His father, Nichomachus, was a court physician to King Amytas of Macedonia, which provided Aristotle his long association with the Macedonian court, which later in his life proved to be a great influence.??When he was the age of 10, Aristotle’s father died.
Aristotle Essay Research Paper Aristotle 384 BC
Aristotle Essay, Research Paper Aristotle (384 BC -322 BC) was a Greek philosopher, logician, and scientist. Along with his teacher Plato (author of The Republic), Aristotle is generally regarded as one of the most influential ancient thinkers in a number of philosophical fields, including political theory.
Government Essay Research Paper 2 We know
Government Essay, Research Paper 2. We know that the fundamental difference between ancient political science and modern political science has to do with the relationship of the individual to the state. For Aristotle, a person was an inherently political animal. For modern political philosophers (social contract theorists), individual rights existed prior to the formation of government.
Physics By Aristotle Essay Research Paper Aristotle
Physics (By Aristotle) Essay, Research Paper Aristotle begins by describing the meaning of the words ?nature? and ?natural.? He identifies the meaning of each, and also explains some common phrases which include each of the words.
Philosophies Of Socrates Plato And Aristotle Essay
, Research Paper Philosophies of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle The philosophies of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle had different points of-view but they were also similar in some ways. For example, all three