0
Aristotle
The Greek philosopher and teacher who formulated the basis for much of today's modern science. This category is designed to collect questions about his life, methods, and discoveries.
1,843 Questions
What are Aristotles' philosophical ideas?
Aristotle's philosophical ideas encompass a wide range of topics, including ethics, metaphysics, political theory, and aesthetics. He believed in the pursuit of eudaimonia, or human flourishing, through the development of virtue and rationality. Aristotle also proposed the concept of the golden mean, emphasizing moderation and balance in all things. Additionally, he outlined a systematic approach to scientific inquiry and classification of knowledge.
The four divisions of justice from Aristotle?
Aristotle identified four divisions of justice: distributive justice, which concerns the fair distribution of resources and rewards; commutative justice, which focuses on fair exchanges between individuals; legal justice, which involves obeying the laws of the land; and corrective justice, which deals with rectifying wrongs and restoring balance after injustices have occurred.
What problems did Aristotle have to overcome?
Some of the challenges Aristotle faced included being a student of Plato yet developing his own philosophical views, reconciling reason and empirical observation in his scientific inquiries, and navigating political tensions in his relationships with rulers and other political figures. Additionally, Aristotle's work was often met with criticism and opposition, particularly in later centuries when his ideas clashed with emerging philosophical trends.
What did Aristotle say about falling objects?
He basically said that heavier things fall faster.
This is not true. Here's a reductio ad absurdum argument to show that it can't be true.
Suppose that it IS true. Now drop a 10 pound cannonball and a 20 pound cannonball from the same height. Obviously, the 20 pound cannonball hits the ground first. (Remember, we're assuming Aristotle was right.)
Now let's take a string and connect the two cannonballs. The twenty-pound cannonball will fall faster than the ten-pound cannonball ... until they pull the string taut. Now what happens? Does the heavy ball speed the light one up, or does the light ball slow the heavy one down? Do they fall at the average speed of the two? And how do the cannonballs know they're tied together so they know how to fall?
What was Aristotles theory on particles?
Aristotle believed in a fifth element called "aether" or quintessence, which he believed composed celestial bodies. He proposed that matter was made up of four elements: earth, water, air, and fire. These elements combined in different proportions to form all substances in the physical world.
Why didn't Aristotle believe in the atom?
Aristotealian Logic tells us that there is nothing that cannot be broken into further subdivisions. The meaning of "atom" is indivisible. Turns out he was right in his own little way (we now know of quarks)
Who was the Greek philosopher who taught Aristotle?
The Greek philosopher who taught Aristotle was Plato. Plato founded the Academy in Athens, where Aristotle studied for around 20 years before becoming a teacher himself.
What did Aristotle's mother and father work as?
Aristotle's father was a doctor who became the court physician to the king of Macedon.
How did Aristotle and the Stoics tie together happiness and knowledge?
Before I answer, let me just lay out where I'm coming from. First of all, I don't believe that this question can be answered too definitively because it is based on an interpretation of very old texts most of which I have only read in translation. The "Aristotelian", "Stoic", and "Epicurean" schools, which are based on the following texts. Aristotle discusses happiness in his "Nichomachean Ethics," to understand which it is necessary to read his "Physics," to understand which it is necessary to read his "On Logos" and "On the Soul." The ''Stoic" school is based on the thoughts of three men from early A.D. Greece and Rome, in the time of the Antonines. Their thoughts are contained in Epectitus' Discourses, Marcus Aurelius' Meditations, and Seneca's Epistles and other writings. The Epicurean school has no surviving direct texts but a few doubtful fragments of a work by one of Epicurus' followers. Our knowledge of it comes from satirical representations in Plato's dialogues, and later interpreters of Epicurus' writings. There is one latin treatise, however, that claims to be a faithful summary of Epicurus' thoughts (a claim always to be mistrusted): On the Nature of Things, by a roman "poet" called Lucretius. Since I have not read Seneca or Aurelius, and since I absolutely hate lucretius, I do not trust myself to give a faithful representation of the Stoics or Epicureans, but I think I can be of some help in understanding Aristotle.
Aristotle concluded, according to the precepts of his theory of language and knowledge, that happiness was something that was done. It was a mindful, present activity of the soul in accordance which excellence and virtue. Accordingly, he laid out different kinds of happy dispositions that pursued pleasure, honor, and knowledge, whose hapiness would be compounded by the enjoyment of friendship. Differently disposed sould would have complementary friends who were similarly disposed, since he understood friendship to be the habitation or activity of one soul in two bodies. He ultimately concludes that activity of the soul in pursuit of excellent and virtuous knowledge is the highest form of happiness, because it is naturally the kind of activity which our weak constitutions can carry on for the longest continuous time as well as being an activity which is greatly magnified by friendship through dialectic conversation. Thus, for Aristotle, happiness is the pursuit of knowledge, preferably through friendly, dialectic conversation.
As I said above, the comparison I'm about to make between Aristotle and the Stoics and Epicurean view on the relationship between knowledge and happiness is not entirely qualified or fair, but I will try to give some answer. Both Epictetus and Lucretius are very pre-occupied with death. Their views on happiness have more to do with death than on knowledge and friendship. Epictetus, being a slave for most of his life, views death as an equalizing fact of human life establishing its insignificance. Knowledge and constant meditation upon our death allows us to accept the insignificance of our own suffering and therefore live without suffering. Happiness, for him, therefore, seemed to me to be not suffering and not taking one's self too seriously, which is made possible by an appreciation of our own death and thus the insignificance of our lives. Similarly, Epicureanism, as it is represented by Lucretius, emphasizes the facts of our death and takes a "life is too short" kind of approach. He compounds this pre-occupation with a kind of crass "atomic theoretical" understanding of nature that interprets even our being alive as a product of pure chance. Thus, he concludes, since we are here by chance and will be gone any moment, that we should pursue pleasure without limiting the pleasure-seeking of our fellows. Hence the "Epicurean" life of pleasure.
Given all of this, from my point of view, the Stoics and Epicurean differ from Aristotle insofar as they view our life in relation to death. Whereas Aristotle views our life as given, and inherently valuable to the extent that we make it so (and even says in Book 10 of the Ethics that human beings should and can be immortal), the Stoics and Epicureans view are lives as necessarily shaped by death, and therefore to be lived as responses to a right knowledge of death. Thus, for them, knowledge and life are instruments and reactions, whereas Aristotle views morality, happiness and knowledge as inherently justified by the structure of our being as it is known from our desires and activities.
What impact did Aristotle have on society?
Aristotle's impact on society was significant as his works continue to influence fields such as philosophy, science, and politics. He helped shape Western thought through his theories on logic, ethics, and metaphysics, and his teachings were foundational in the development of Western education systems. His works have been widely studied and continue to be debated and celebrated for their enduring insights.
Aristotle is remembered as one of the greatest philosophers in history, known for his contributions to ethics, logic, metaphysics, politics, and natural sciences. His works have had a profound influence on Western philosophy and science, shaping the way we understand the world around us to this day.
According to Aristotle what is the ultimate cause of reality?
Aristotle said that the world must have an "Initial Cause", that something must have set in motion the cosmos. That has been used and is still used as an argument by many theists in favour of the existence of God. Aristotle did not describe exactly what/who that cause is, but the very nature of such a thing implies that it is a god-like entity.
Why is Aristotle the father of modern science?
Aristotle is often considered the father of modern science due to his emphasis on observation, classification, and logical reasoning in studying the natural world. His systematic approach to understanding the physical world influenced many later scientists and laid the foundation for the development of the scientific method. His works served as a crucial bridge between ancient philosophy and the empirical investigations that characterize modern scientific inquiry.
Who was a student of Socrates and a teacher of Aristotle?
Plato was a student of Socrates and Socrates self taught himself
Plato was the Aristotle
What is the philosophical legacy of Aristotle?
Aristotle's philosophical legacy includes contributions to logic, metaphysics, ethics, politics, and natural sciences. His emphasis on empirical observation, rational inquiry, and the pursuit of virtue has had a lasting impact on Western philosophy and science, influencing thinkers for centuries. Aristotle's works continue to be studied and debated in fields ranging from ethics and aesthetics to biology and psychology.
There is no concrete evidence of how Aristotle's wife died. Sources only say that his wife Pythias died in approximately 323 BCE. Due to the time period it is most likely that she died of illness.
What month and day was Aristotle born?
Impossible to answer accurately, since the ancient Greeks used a different date system.
Did Aristotle invent anything?
Aristotle did not invent anything in the traditional sense. He was a philosopher and polymath known for his contributions to fields such as logic, ethics, metaphysics, and biology. His works laid the foundation for many Western philosophical and scientific theories.
What is the relationship of philosophy to logic?
Humans use their logic to reach to conclusions, even when they believe they are not. In that way, logic is closely related to philosophy. Most philosophers use logical arguments to argue in favour of what they believe - even for matters that seem to be a matter of faith only, like the existence of God (e.g. Godel, who was the greatest logician after Aristotle, has written a logical proof of God's existence).
Aristotle preferred government by the many, not by the few.Like Plato,however,he was suspicious of democracy,which he thought could lead to mob rule.Instead,he was favored a constitutional government ruled by members of the middle class.
How did Aristotle and Plato's idea of government differ?
Plato wanted to achieve is a perfect society through rebuilding. Aristotle was unconcerned with creating a new, perfect society. He wanted to improve on the existing one through a deductive approach.
What is Aristotle's fifth substance?
The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that all matter was made up of varying amounts of four elements - Earth, Air, Fire and Water... these were seen as essential... the quintessence, the fifth essential was also in all things, btu in particular was in the heavenly bodies. Quin~ is the prefix for 5.
Aristotle taught by engaging his students in dialogues and discussions, encouraging critical thinking and questioning. He believed in hands-on learning through observation and experimentation, often using examples from everyday life to make complex concepts more understandable. Additionally, he emphasized the importance of logic and reasoning in his teaching methods.
What were Aristotle's contributions?
Aristotle's contributions were vast and influential in many fields, including philosophy, science, and ethics. He is known for his works in logic, metaphysics, natural science, politics, and ethics. Aristotle's philosophies laid the foundation for Western thought and had a profound impact on fields of knowledge for centuries.
