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Aristotle Tolerance And Skepticism

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Aristotle indicates that an educated person is able to consider new ideas without making definitive judgments. This "educated person" has two important characteristics–tolerance and skepticism–resulting in a very powerful perspective. Tolerance allows one to consider new ideas, while skepticism prevents one from blindly accepting them. It is through these that the educated understand the world, and the result is complex and often accurate viewpoints.
Aristotle's argument relies on the crucial relationship between tolerance and skepticism. They complement one another and provide balance. On one hand, tolerance is responsible for opening the mind to new ideas, whether or not they support one's existing opinions. On the other, skepticism is responsible for exploring these ideas with careful consideration. When tolerance and skepticism exist in perfect harmony, one is able to visualize many perspectives …show more content…

Possibly a product of translational inaccuracy, the use of educated is problematic. While it was likely intended to mean "cultured," some may interpret it as indicating that education produces people with tolerant viewpoints. Such a claim is easily refutable, as most Americans are educated, while far less are tolerant. Additionally, it is possible that education carried a greater prestige in Ancient Greece than in contemporary America, justifying Aristotle's seemingly inappropriate word choice.
As Aristotle describes the qualities of tolerance and skepticism, he illustrates his perspective of the "educated mind" as one that is open to new ideas and shrewd enough to wholly evaluate them. In application, his words highlight the faults of modern American political ideologies, intolerant and increasingly polarized. While it is difficult to imagine that 2,000 year old words could be relevant in the modern era, it is even more difficult to deny their importance for America's

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