The Opposing Views of Great Minds

The Opposing Views of Great Minds

The word metaphysics is defined as “The study or theory of reality; sometimes used more narrowly to refer to transcendent reality, that is, reality which lies beyond the physical world and cannot therefore be grasped by means of the senses.” It simply asks what is the nature of being? Metaphysics helps us to reach beyond nature as we see it, and to discover the `true nature' of things, their ultimate reason for existing. There are many ways to approach metaphysics. Two of the earliest known thinkers on the topic are Plato and Aristotle. These two philosophers had ideas that held very contrasting differences that can be narrowed into a strong, select few. Both of the two thinkers approached metaphysics differently. They both held different views on the levels of reality. The two men held different approaches to forms. Although both men believed in the concept of forms, they both defined this concept differently.

Plato lived between 427 and 347 BC. Aristotle lived between 384 and322 BC. He grew from being Plato's pupil to being an independent thinker and rival. Plato was an inside/out philosopher as opposed to Aristotle’s outside/in thinking. This simply means that Plato developed his ideas from within and applied them to the outside world. Conversely, Aristotle took the views from the world around him and applied them within. These different approaches to metaphysics lead to the issue of Aristotle’s imminent reality versus Plato’s dualistic, transient reality. Aristotle’s beliefs lead to him seeing only one level of reality. He felt there was only one imminent world and that forms existed within particular things. Aristotle held that form had no separate existence and existed i...

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... by reason. Example: beautiful things vs. beauty.

What is real is the totality of Forms and these Forms account for whatever stability and intelligibility the world of illusory sense experience may possess.

Plato was inside out.

1. He believed in 2 level reality (transcendent).

The being was fixed and certain.

The becoming was changing.

2.form - exists in the world of being.

Copies exist in the world of becoming and are imperfect.

3. Prime mover- form in the world of being

4. Being – levels of reality – top level is justice.

- blending of forms

Aristotle was outside in.

1. one level of reality (imminent).

è god/s ?

2.forms – exist inside the thing itself

a.material cause

b.formal cause

c.efficient cause

d. final cause

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3.Nature – assumptions

its real

it’s a unity, a system

its essintial

predictable and constant