Essay On Plato And Aristotle

Plato and Aristotle enlightened the whole world through their ideas. Both of them were great philosophers and pupil of great teachers, Plato was pupil of Socrates however Aristotle was pupil of Plato. Both the philosophers had their own ideas about the life and the world and there were similarities as well as contradictions in the views of these philosophers. This paper discusses the views of Plato and Aristotle and further examines similarities and differences in the views of both of the philosophers.
Plato is known as idealist and believed in four basic concepts. These concepts include concept of two worlds sensible and super sensible, the concept of immortal soul, recollection theory and the participation theory. His ethics was based on the rationale thinking. Aristotle on the other hand, was a materialist, whose metaphysics believed that there are four reasons and two kinds of changes, natural and unnatural changes. Aristotle opined that there are two parts of soul, rational and irrational and his ethics was based on the concept that a man is alive because of his desire of happiness.
Plato believed in two worlds, super sensible and sensible worlds. When he talks about the super sensible world, he refers to the ideas and soul before the birth and body gets formed. Plato says that soul never dies, it simply forgets the ideas and earlier forms. When he talks about the sensible world, he means post birth situation when body is born. When he talks about recollection theory, he refers about the knowledge in the soul. His participation theory talks about the participation of the super sensible world in the sensible world.
On the other hand Aristotle says that sensible world is the real world and change is the reality. He suggests that there are four reasons of change and first is material, second is forma, third cause of change is efficiency while the fourth reason of change is asks, what is reason of the change. Aristotle says that a man should analyze the reasons related to the change and ask themselves the questions related to the change in sequence to search out the reality. He identifies two kinds of changes, first change is unnatural that is brought by external agent. He quotes the tree as an example of unnatural change which is turned into pieces to make furniture. Second kind of change is natural where no external agent is present and he presents the example of a growing acorn on the tree as a natural change. Unlike Plato, who said that forms never changes, Aristotle believed that form changes but matter remains same.
On ethics, Plato recognizes the importance of rationale soul and says that it thinks, remembers, believes and drives one’s life. He considers rationale soul as the leader of spirited and passionate. Plato says that everybody should keep trying to find “the good”. Aristotle says that a man must do “the good” instead of trying to find “the good”. Aristotle believes that man should always try to find the happiness.
Plato and Aristotle both the philosophers expressed their views regarding the life and the world. They agree and disagree at several issues. Plato seems to be a bit theoretical however Aristotle’s views are practical. I also agree with the views of Aristotle that change is the reality and it is everywhere. Aristotle sound realistic when he talks that man should always try to find happiness for himself and try to do “the good” instead of trying to find “the good”.