Essay: Compare and Contrast Aristotle and Plato Over a Variety of Issues
When comparing Plato and Aristotle, one must put in mind that Plato influenced Aristotle, but was never influenced by Aristotle. However, both men are known to be independent thinkers with different opinions and perspective towards life. First to begin with, even though Aristotle was one student of Plato they both had different ways of writing there works. Plato laid out his work on a more dialogue form filled with metaphors and other grammatical gorgons that make it entertaining to read. Aristotle's work is written in straight forward way where points are presented in a straight forward way than that of Plato. Most readers enjoy reading Plato’s work since it is more elaborate. Unlike Aristotle, Plato is more of an outside thinker when it comes to his ideas and perspectives about life. While Aristotle derives his arguments from things the way they are without putting any speculations in it, Plato does the complete opposite.
Plato lets his mind roam around without being held by the idea. For instance, his ideology that explains his thoughts on a correct political system can border to those of utopia. His view of having a democracy where everyone follows the law without being pushed is just too much. Aristotle can be described as a straight thinker who spends most of his thinking of reality rather than dreaming of unimaginable things.
While Aristotle viewed virtue in human beings as means to two extremes in humans, the extremes being the animal instinct part and the human part, Plato viewed virtue was an automatic thing in all men.
1:How is Socrates wise or how does he know other are not wise?
Socrates is considered to be one of the wisest men who ever lived because of the kind of arguments he presented. Socrates believed that there was nothing more ethical in life than to live life in a straight forward manner.
2:Why does Socrates chose the sentence of death over other possible punishments?
Socrates chooses life over death because he believed that that was the right decision. Socrates believed that if the gods wanted him to live on, they would have offered him a penalty rather than a death penalty. He is considered an extremely religious man.
3:What is Plato's view on Truth?
Plato’s view on truth state that with truth applied human beings have the capability to evolve by brings together virtue and rational thinking.
4:What are the characteristics of the Guardian class?
The most obvious characteristics of a guardian class is that is a system based on hereditary states in that the system is run in a monarch way.
5:What is the allegory of the cave and what does it means?
The shadow the people were seeing was not real. However, they believed in it. This means that in today's world, people are afraid of something familiar and so they hold on to that they already know.
6:What is the origin of the state according to Aristotle?
According to Aristotle, the sate originates from nature. This explained means that nature is the most common factor when it comes to the formation of a state.
7.What are some of the criticisms of Plato's "Republic" in Aristotle's "Politics"?
Plato and Aristotle never came in contact when an issue arose concerning politics and how power should be shared.
8:What makes a good citizen according to Aristotle?
According to Aristotle, a respectable citizen is one that lives in virtue and follows all the rules that the state declares as necessary.
9.According to Aristotle, how does one live the good life?
Aristotle believed that in order for one to live a decent life he had to be subject to following his own values. He also acknowledged the fact that everyone has different virtues.
10:What is the Aristotelian mean and how does it relate to virtue?
Aristotelian means adherent and its relation to virtue according to Aristotle are that the whole idea of virtue is based on the idea of discipline, which is related to Aristotelian.
11: What are the views on justice of Augustine, St Thomas Aquinas and Thrasymachus?
Augustine, St Thomas Aquinas and Thrasymachus' view that power is derived from justice. These men believe that power brings about justice since whatever the strong meaning the powerful term as justice is considered justice by the weak.
12:Why is one ruler preferred over many for Thomas Aquinas?
It is considered that one ruler can bring about unity amongst the people more than many rulers can.
13:That is the purpose of the state according to Augustine?
Augustine thinks that the state’s main purpose is to protect the members of the state since without the members there is no state.
14:What does Aristotle has to say about the middle-class?
According to Aristotle, a strong middle class amongst the state holds the state together. Aristotle views that strong middle class mean a strong state.
Work cited
Hadot, P. Philosophy as a Way of Life, Oxford, Blackwells 2002. Print
Hughes, Bettany. Socrates: The Hemlock Cup. Random House, 2009. Print
Kofman, Sarah. Plato and Aristotle: Fictions of a Philosopher, 1998. Print
Popper, K. The Open Society and its Enemies, Volume 1 Plato. Routledge & Kegan Paul, 2000.
Print
Waterfield, Robin. Why Socrates Died: Dispelling the Myths. New York: W.W. Norton and
Company, 2009. Print
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