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Aristotle's teachings
Aristotle's teachings
Aristotle's philosophy
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I usually don’t agree on a lot of the things that these writers say but Aristotle’s beliefs are a little different. By different I mean that his concepts are practical. His views mainly focus on the traits of virtue; which include categories such as, excess and defiency. I like that there are so many different options under each category, however, like Jordan I think that in most instances that the traits can be subjective to the person and that everyone isn’t inclined towards the same pleasures. As far as pleasures themselves go he doesn’t believe that someone should feel bad about what causes them pleasures, as long as its promoting getting to the greatest happiness then it’s fine. I also enjoy the fact that he includes two types of virtue:
intellectual virtue (which uses theoretical knowledge) and moral virtue (which uses practical knowledge). The intellectual virtue being one of the things that you just learn and teach about the different. While moral virtue is not only learning but also practicing the beliefs that you have learned. Moral virtue it’s something that we are born with; its considered a rational element that has the ability to be there but the knowledge is not there yet. When you practice the virtues you will arrive at eudaemonia. Eudaemonia is also known as happiness which happens to be the telos. I agree with him when he says happiness isn’t subjective and that people are confused. So many people think that they are achieving happiness by adhering intermediate desires and believe that that is the ending goal but they don’t think deep enough to realize that they are still working towards the telos. For example, in the beginning I actually thought gaining wealth was my highest happiness but actually it isn’t; its just one thing that would make me happy. In addition, I love how Aristotle doesn’t judge someone by their actions or their thoughts. There isn’t any judging what so ever according to his principles or an indication that someone could possibly have a weak character. As with other ways of life there is always the question of who makes him the one and charge and who gives him the power to say that there are no more virtues than what he lists. However, like I said earlier I do believe that most of the traits are common sense things. The only real question I have for his is one of the biggest criticisms for his principles, does anyone ever reach the point of being at their highest happiness?
In what follows, I shall consider Aristotle's’ argument of the polis, or the city-state, as presented in his Politics I.2, and expound on the philosophical implications of this particular thesis; namely, a thesis which claims that the city-state exists by nature, and correspondingly, that a human being is ‘by nature a political animal’. Along the way, I shall present two objections leveled against each claim. The first pertains to the invalidity of the argument on ends; specifically, I shall protest that when a thing’s process of coming to be is completed, even if we regard this as an end, this does not necessarily confer that such an end is a natural end, for artificial processes too, like natural processes, share the potential to arrive at ends. The second pertains to the ‘part-whole’ argument, which in a sense takes from the argument of function. Here, I shall discuss that it is not quite clear whether the claim that human beings - as parts of the whole - are necessarily political animals, and so the view that the state is ‘prior by nature’ is uncertain. After that, I will present two Aristotelian responses against these objections; and judge whether or not these appear succeed. I conclude that he is correct in asserting that the city-state exists by nature, and correspondingly, that a human being is a political animal.
ABSTRACT: Aristotle maintains that paideia enables one to judge the method used by a given speaker without judging the conclusions drawn as well (I.1 De Partibus Animalium). He contends that this "paideia of principles" requires three things: seeing that principles are not derived from one another; seeing that there is nothing before them within reason; and, seeing that they are the source of much knowledge. In order to grasp these principles, one must respectively learn to recognize what distinguishes the subject matters studied in different disciplines, see first principles as coming from experience and acquire the habit of seeking them in one’s experience and, finally, see first principles as being the source of conclusions. While the second and third points might at first seem to pertain to "nous" and science, respectively, rather than to paideia, the case can be made that paideia involves more of a firm grasp of principles than "nous" and a less perfect way of relating conclusion to principles than science.
choose to live, though he had all other goods.” (1155a5) So it is agreed that
Melissa is more likely to be attracted to Aristotle’s basic orientation and his view on the soul. Melissa’s mind set leans more towards the scientific thought process when it comes to life and death. Like Aristotle her beliefs are more of the here and now. Making due with the reality put in front of them. Even though Melissa’s thoughts and beliefs mostly come with facts she still has some belief that there is something beyond the body that makes Matthew who he is, Matthew. But with that belief she also thinks without brain function there is no Matthew to save. It is a body with no ability to think and live. So like Aristotle she does think that there is a soul that is a part of our bodies. But without the ability to think then you are not living.
Have you ever thought about the world around you? How each individual thinks differently. How you are able to remember things from your childhood. Have you ever thought how your imagination is so vast and so complex, how when you dream it is made of everything you have ever seen in your life. How an unfamiliar face in your dream is actually familiar. Your mind can not just make up a face. Also have to ever thought about color? Like how for example my shirt can be red, but you see a purple color and I see a pink, but we call it red. It all deals with how the mind works, how we are each individually made. How our minds are all created by some higher power but created swift and smooth so yet no one is alike even down to the smallest detail of
Aristotle begins his ethical account by saying that “every art and every inquiry, and similarly every action and every choice, is thought to aim for some good; and for this reason the good has rightly been declared to be that at which all things aim” (line 1094a1). Though some things might produce higher good than others, Aristotle looks for the highest good, which he says we must “desire for its own sake” and our actions are not decided on some other goal beyond this good itself (line 1094a20-25).[1] This highest good is then realized to be happiness (line 1095a16-20).
Women in philosophy have always been seen as inferior to men. People had constructed this image of women as being less perfect and through this image, many philosophy were developed. Aristotle provided the first scientific explanation of women’s imperfection. He claimed that women were biologically inferior to men. Aristotle claimed that this was a factual statement, but he though it deserved “a rational scientific justification for this belief,”(Tuana,p.18).
Aristotle was one of the greatest philosophers of all time and many of his ideas hold true today. As a Greek philosopher and scientist, Aristotle set the precedent for modern western thinking. Yet his theories and ideas on politics need to be examined in the context of the history and the ideas of the time in which they were developed. Aristotle’s views on politics were influenced by Plato and the state of Greece at the time of Aristotle’s life.
Research Paper: Aristotle 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 influential ancient thinkers in a number of philosophical fields, including political theory. Aristotle’s’ writing reflects his time, background and beliefs. Aristotle was born at Stagira, in Macedonia. His father, Nichomacus, was the personal physician to the King of Macedonia, Amyntas.
Aristotle feels we have a rational capacity and the exercising of this capacity is the perfecting of our natures as human beings. For this reason, pleasure alone cannot establish human happiness, for pleasure is what animals seek and human beings have higher capacities than animals. The goal is to express our desires in ways that are appropriate to our natures as rational animals. Aristotle states that the most important factor in the effort to achieve happiness is to have a good moral character, what he calls complete virtue. In order to achieve the life of complete virtue, we need to make the right choices, and this involves keeping our eye on the future, on the ultimate result we want for our lives as a whole. We will not achieve happiness simply by enjoying the pleasures of the moment. We must live righteous and include behaviors in our life that help us do what is right and avoid what is wrong. It is not enough to think about doing the right thing, or even intend to do the right thing, we have to actually do it. Happiness can occupy the place of the chief good for which humanity should aim. To be an ultimate end, an act must be independent of any outside help in satisfying one’s needs and final, that which is always desirable in itself and never for the sake of something else and it must be
Aristotle was born in 384 BCE at Stagirus, a Greek colony and seaport on the coast of Thrace. His father Nichomachus was court physician to King Amyntas of Macedonia, and from this began Aristotle's long association with the Macedonian Court, which considerably influenced his life. While he was still a boy his father died. At age 17 his guardian, Proxenus, sent him to Athens, the intellectual center of the world, to complete his education. He joined the Academy and studied under Plato, attending his lectures for a period of twenty years. In the later years of his association with Plato and the Academy he began to lecture on his own account, especially on the subject of rhetoric. At the death of Plato in 347, the pre-eminent ability of Aristotle would seem to have designated him to succeed to the leadership of the Academy. But his divergence from Plato's teaching was too great to make this possible, and Plato's nephew Speusippus was chosen instead. At the invitation of his friend Hermeas, ruler of Atarneus and Assos in Mysia, Aristotle left for his court. He stayed three year and, while there, married Pythias, the niece of the King. In later life he was married a second time to a woman named Herpyllis, who bore him a son, Nichomachus. At the end of three years Hermeas was overtaken by the Persians, and Aristotle went to Mytilene. At the invitation of Philip of Macedonia he became the tutor of his 13 year old son Alexander (later world conqueror); he did this for the next five years. Both Philip and Alexander appear to have paid Aristotle high honor, and there were stories that Aristotle was supplied by the Macedonian court, not only with funds for teaching, but also with thousands of slaves to collect specimens for his studies in n...
Aristotle was born in 384 BC. In Stagira, a small town northern Greece. He had one older brother and one sister. His father, Nicomachus, was a doctor. His mother, Phaestis, came from the island of Euboea. She was wealthy. Owning a house which later remained in the family after she married Nicomachus.
Aristotle was and is a very influential figure when it comes to educational practices and process as well as philosophy, ethics, and many other subjects. Many of his teachings and lectures shape the way we are taught and learn today. He comes from a long line of recognizable names when considering influential figures in Educational Philosophy. Although this analysis is focused on his contributions to education, it is important to note that he showed influence in a variety of concepts.
To Aristotle leading a good life, for the most part, means fulfilling one’s purpose in a way that is good by balancing life’s pleasures. In order to determine if an object fulfills its function in a good way, we must first consider the object. If we were to agree that a car should be reliable, then we could also agree that reliable car should be considered a good car. Similarly, animals, for example, possess certain traits like the power of locomotion, and the desire to seek nourishment and reproduce. According to Aristotle, an animal that is a fast runner, or a very successful hunter would be considered a good animal. Following this reasoning, Aristotle believed that in order for a human to be good, he or she must also fulfill their purpose. Yet, as an advanced species, we must go beyond fulfilling these animalistic functions like eating right and reproducing well. In order for a human to live the good life, he or she must first be good at using powers of intellect and reason, which Aristotle believed were unique to only humans and, as a result, constitute our purpose (McManaman). It seems that in addition to being a good human, Aristotle also recognized pleasure must play a role in the good life. Still, he recognized the importance of balance when indulging in acts of pleasure claiming that a life of only pleasure was too animalistic (Richter, 2008). In this way, Aristotle believed the key to a good life was to fulfill one’s function a good way, while balancing life’s pleasures in a way that allowed the...
Aristotle made contributions to logic, physics, biology, medicine, and agriculture. He redesigned most, if not all, areas of knowledge he studied. Later in life he became the “Father of logic” and was the first to develop a formalized way of reasoning. Aristotle was a greek philosopher who founded formal logic, pioneered zoology, founded his own school, and classified the various branches of philosophy.