Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle’s Ideas Today
Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle changed the world so drastically that it still impacts modern day society. Some ideas they pushed even serve as a backbone to Western beliefs, while others contrast as today’s society refuses to accept them.
To begin, Socrates laid the foundation for Western intellectual tradition. When most people in today’s world think of Socrates, they think of the Socratic Method and a few famous quotes. Without his signature death, Socrates would not be as popular nearly two thousand years later. Just as the death of Ancient Greece was not in vain because of all the lessons learned and applied in and after the Enlightenment, the death of Socrates fell the same way with history.
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Aristotle pushed the same value in classical education forward. Aristotle had a different emphasis than Plato though, and they even disagreed on Plato’s theory of forms. Aristotle focused more on math and science, and even developed the categories for these subjects that modern day society still uses today. He was a strategist, an empiricist, and a logician. By breaking logic and reason down into a simple system, he was able to cultivate more knowledge in every subject he pondered, and shed light onto the path of reason for societies and thinkers to come. Aristotle was so groundbreaking that Thomas Aquinas called him “The Philosopher” as if there were no others. Aristotle was even the teacher of Alexander the Great. When Alexander rose to power across the globe, Aristotle’s teachings infiltrated the …show more content…
However, there are several ideas these three great men pushed that are now rejected by society. For example, Socrates and Plato scorned democracy. They taught that democracies may begin orderly, but then class warfare ensues and the poor attack the rich, leading to disorder. Then a tyrant sweeps in and promises security. To Socrates and Plato, a democracy meant a mob-rule. Their ideal form of a democracy is called a polity. Today, most Westerners are pro-democracy, even though most of them live in democratic republics. Some Westerners may see the dangers of democracy in the current fad of redistribution of wealth, but all in all, the ideas of Socrates and Plato didn’t make it. Plato also believed in Classical Republicanism. As previously addressed, the majority of Westerners care about the majority of Westerners. However, there is a large group to be acknowledged that cares more about the rights of the minorities. Today especially, the strife between Classical Republicanism and individual rights is quite evident in the United States of America. Where do civil rights infringe upon civil liberties? How can the government protect a certain people group? Though Classical Republicanism is in the very core of Western countries, the people are swept in a left leaning slant to care more about certain individual rights. Another idea from Socrates that
Aristotle believes that society should achieve eternal happiness and just acts. Plato was also an influential philosopher due to his study of the nature of truths and virtues. Thomas Aquinas believed in moral and virtuous acts from a Spiritual perspective. Knowledge and the governance of the law relies on the contribution of several different effective
...should examine their life and be able to question the world also, give people freedom. On the other hand is Aristotle, he showed the Political Theory in human that human reason and resources are their guides and yet, it is others life style. Furthermore, Plato, he used the Allegory of the Cave to show how Philosopher see the Absolute Truth and due to the fact how people perceive the truth and how people view of reality can be bound. Also, the Greeks contribution in Art, they used the Discuss Thrower, the Greeks Columns, and The Parthenon to show people how Greeks are good in sculpturing and to show the 3D-dimensional perspective. Lastly, is Democracy where people are the ruler also the Council of 500 of Cleisthenes because of this our civilization today has a direct democracy, without further do, Democracy, Art, and Philosophy has influenced our society astonishingly.
Aristotle is undoubtedly a great philosopher whose contributions in many fields, including rhetoric, constitute a foundation of our modern education and research. However, many scholars suggested that his theory was an evolution of a preliminary sophistic rhetoric that developed through the years by a group of travelling teachers who formed this art and played a major role in reinforcing democracy in Greece.
Plato vs. Aristotle Plato and Aristotle, two philosophers in the 4th century, hold polar views on politics and philosophy in general. This fact is very cleverly illustrated by Raphael's "School of Athens" (1510-11; Stanza della Segnatura, Vatican), where Plato is portrayed looking up to the higher forms; and Aristotle is pointing down because he supports the natural sciences. In a discussion of politics, the stand point of each philosopher becomes an essential factor. It is not coincidental that Plato states in The Republic that Philosopher Rulers who possess knowledge of the good should be the governors in a city state. His strong interest in metaphysics is demonstrated in The Republic various times: for example, the similes of the cave, the sun, and the line, and his theory of the forms.
Plato and Aristotle alike were two men who had ideas on ways to improve existing society. Plato, a political philosopher, was in the pursuit of philosophical truth (Hacker 114). Aristotle was concerned with the citizen and the design of political institutions (Hacker 114). They both had well thought out ideas and plans on how to build a better society. Both Aristotle and Plato have had a tremendous impact on political scientists of today. Aristotle helped to develop some democratic ideas. In conclusion these men were great thinkers. Their opinions on society and its functions were quite different, but they both had the same intention, to build a better way of life for the societies they lived in and for the societies that would come to be in the future.
Socrates was a classical Greek philosopher that was born in Athens, Greece around 470/469 BC. He served in the Athenian army and fought in many battles. When Socrates retired from fighting in the army, he began focusing on expressing his beliefs. He wasn’t the typical “teacher” or “preacher”; he was a very critical and analytical thinker that helped guide his students and the Athenians during his time. Through his teachings and beliefs, Socrates had positive and negative influence on the people during his time and modern time. Although he is credited as one of the founders of Western Philosophy, Political Philosophy, and Ethics, his teachings was in disagreement with the teachings of the democracy of Athens, which led to him being put to death. Along with his philosophical beliefs, Socrates’ great thinking led to the creation of the Socratic Method and the Socratic Paradoxes.
Plato and Aristotle were both very influential men of there time bringing vast knowledge to the world. I honestly believe that Democracy does a lot of good but it definitely has some common side effects. Out of all of Plato's significant ideas, his best was the idea of democracy opening political decisions to the majority who cannot think on behalf of the community. Aristotle on the other hand is very optimistic when it comes to democracy so it becomes a rather interesting compare and contrast between these to men.
Aristotle (384-322 B.C.), son of a physician to the Macedonian ruler, was a Greek philosopher who studied virtually everything from logic to the sciences to ethics. He spent two decades under Plato’s tutelage in the Academy in Athens, then tutored abroad for twelve years, during which he taught Alexander the Great. He settled down afterwards in Athens and established his own school, the Lyceum. He stayed there until the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C. caused an increase of anti-Macedonian sentiment, at which point he left the city and died shortly afterwards due to natural causes. Considered one of the most significant and influential figures of Western philosophy, he produced many written pieces, though most have not survived to this day. Many of those that have, however, are still being studied worldwide.
Due to the changing and developing ideas of the philosophers, along with the implicit, and sometimes very explicit, strive to move away from and disagreement with the traditional Homeric beliefs and culture, as well as the influence of warfare, trade, and outside travel from and to Greece, all contributed to the major cultural clash that resulted the Execution of Socrates. Though with some philosophers, like Socrates, their contributions to philosophy were, for the most part, not fully appreciated, all of their contributions changed their culture, and way of thinking and still do today.
Plato vs. Aristotle How do we explain the world around us? How can we get to the truth? Plato and Aristotle began the quest to find the answers thousands of years ago. Amazingly, all of philosophy since that time can be described as only a rehashing of the original argument between Plato and Aristotle. Plato and Aristotle's doctrines contrast in the concepts of reality, knowledge at birth, and the mechanism to find the truth.
We have two great philosophers, Plato and Aristotle. These are great men, whose ideas have not been forgotten over years. Although their thoughts of politics were similar, we find some discrepancies in their teachings. The ideas stem from Socrates to Plato to Aristotle. Plato based moral knowledge on abstract reason, while Aristotle grounded it on experience and tried to apply it more to concrete living. Both ways of life are well respected by many people today.
He thought that the election of the people was unfair justice. Plato had some of the same beliefs. He believed that government should only have rulers who had the intelligence and education appropriate for the matter. His thoughts were that a job should be done only by those who are best suited for it. To him, aristocracy was a perfect form of government.
...ed knowledge beyond ordinary people’s understandings. However, in some ways Aristotle did a better job than Plato. As a result, his ideas will continue to exist in this world for the generations yet to come.
Plato and Aristotle both established important ideas about politics and their government. The general idea these two men wrote about were tyranny and the rule of law. What the rule of law is stating is that no one is immune from the law, even the people who are in a position of power. The rule of law served as a safeguard against tyranny because laws just ensure that rulers don’t become more corrupt. These two philosophers explored political philosophy and even though they didn’t agree on much they’re impacts are still around the world today.
Greek philosophers Aristotle and Plato were two of the most influential and knowledgeable ancients in our history. Their contributions and dedication to science, language and politics are immensely valued centuries later. But while the two are highly praised for their works, they viewed several subjects entirely differently, particularly education practices, and human ethics and virtue.