Aristotle vs. Plato Essay

Aristotle argues that in order for a polis to emerge, a union between man and women must convene. Later a household must be introduced which unites with other households to form a village, villages come together to form city-states. This theory is Aristotle’s natural view that an individual can not be self sufficient Plato argues that, in order to achieve absolute justice, a city-state is needed.

For Socrates, an adequate definition will reveal the common quality that belongs to both all and only; and necessarily and sufficiently, instances of the virtue that is being defined. In Euthyphro, Socrates addresses these definitional issues by criticizing the paradox presented in the dialogue as follows: “And so Euthyphro, when you’re asked what the pious is, it looks as though you don’t want to reveal its being to me, but rather to tell me one of its affections—that this happens to the pious, that its loved by all the gods” (Euthyphro 11a). The term ‘being’ here I will interpret as essence, the more commonly utilized semantic in translations of Plato (Ross 2006). An appropriate

Aristotle believes that happiness is an activity “in accord with virtue.” Happiness is in accord with the most excellent virtue. All men agreed that happiness is to “live well”, but Aristotle expands this further into a whole

In ancient Greece two great written philosophers lived. First there was Plato and then Aristotle. Aristotle was a pupil of Plato. Despite being taught by Plato they had different theories and views. Their ethics were very typical and traditional of ancient Greece but Aristotle detailed virtue ethics and the path to happiness. Plato’s political theories for a utopian society varied from Aristotle’s view of ‘best state for each society’. Their metaphysical theories are complete opposites and very contradicting. Even though Plato and Aristotle came from the same era and were closely linked they had very different philosophies.

Aristotle is an ancient Greek philosopher who has played a part in subjects such as mathematics and ethics. As a known student of Plato, Aristotle’s knowledge on various topics immensely affected people’s philosophical views. For Aristotle, his definitions of human happiness and a good life consist of being virtuous all throughout life. Happiness comes from being an overall good person; this is “the best way to lead a life and give it meaning” (Psychology Today). According to Aristotle, happiness is a continuing achievement. “Happiness is more a question of behavior and of habit—of ‘virtue’—than of luck; a person who cultivates such behaviors and habits is able to bear his

Aristotle's distinguished predecessors, Socrates and Plato, can be traced back to the beginnings of virtue ethics. Socrates intellectually challenged the people who followed him by constantly asking them questions in a way that forced them to come to their own conclusions. His way of thinking and corresponding had later developed into something we know as the Socratic Method. He believed that who knows what is right will act accordingly. Later on, Aristotle had skewed this view a bit by claiming that intellectual virtue and moral virtue are distinct attributes. Socrates is still one of the most significant figures in history. Plato, on the other hand, was one of Socrates famous student; he was the one who founded the economy in Athens. There

Many philosophers through history have dealt with happiness, pleasure, justice, and virtues. In this essay there will given facts on virtues between two philosophers who have different views on the topic. Aristotle and Kant have two totally different views on virtue, one being based on the soul and how you character depicts you virtue and the other which is based of the fact that anyone has a chance of being morally good, even bad people. There is a lot of disagreement between Aristotle and Kant, which has examples to back the disagreements. Aristotle takes virtue as an excellence, while Kant takes it more to being a person doing something morally good in the society and for them as a person. One similarity between these two philosophers though, is that these two descriptions of virtue lead back to happiness in the individual. At the end of this essay, the reader should be capable of understanding that Aristotle’s theory is more supported than Kant’s theory. Of course, explanations for both sides will be given thoroughly throughout this comparison.

who possess knowledge of the good should be the governors in a city state. His

Virtue, he argues, comes along with choice and habit, meaning that as we make the right decisions in life, they become habit and thus we do not have to think about what is right and what choice to make. We also must gain reason which requires external goods that ensures action. Aristotle describes some of these goods to show how they affect our happiness: “we use friends and riches and political power as instruments; and there are some things the lack of which takes the lustre from happiness, as good birth, goodly children, beauty; for the man who is very ugly in appearance or ill-born or solitary and childless is not very likely to be happy” (Book 1 Sec 8). Because these goods force us into action they create the capability to gain reason and thus virtue.

Plato's point of view is different from many other peoples. He says that people do wrong not because they are inherently evil, but because they are unclear about what is best for them. While the good truly is good, the pleasant do not know good and therefore have the incorrect belief of good. He is saying someone who is good knows what good is and those who do not do good do not know good itself.

ABSTRACT: This paper argues that Aristotle conceives happiness not primarily as an exercise of virtue in private or with friends, but as the exercise of virtue in governing an ideal state. The best states are knit together so tightly that the interests of one person are the same as the interests of all. Hence, a person who acts for his or her own good must also act for the good of all fellow citizens. It follows that discussions of Aristotle’s altruism and egoism are misconceived.

This idea of goodness and virtue goes anything beyond worldly values and ideals. "A good man cannot be harmed either in life or in death"(41d), says Socrates further explaining that no matter what, "a better man [cannot] be harmed by a worse"(30d). Having virtue gives you a certain happiness that is well beyond life or death or worldly values and goods.

In my final project, I will discuss the difference between Plato and Aristotle, and the two different ideas they both sought highly to philosophize. Plato, well known for his theory on Forms, believed that all things have a true being, and that the world in which we live in is a poor representation of the real world. Aristotle, on the other hand, was well known for his ideas on Form and Matter, where he believed that all objects are made with certain materials and arranged in a particular way. Lastly, for my current events, I will discuss deals with the recent deaths of young black men in America and how it all ties back to the ideas of Plato and Aristotle.

Numerous experts in modern time regard Plato as the first genuine political philosopher and Aristotle as the first political scientist. They were both great thinkers in regards to, in part with Socrates, being the foundation of the great western philosophers. Plato and Aristotle each had ideas in how to proceed with improving the society in which they were part of during their existence. It is necessary therefore to analyze their different theoretical approaches regarding their philosophical perspectives, such as ethics and psychology. This paper however will mainly concentrate on Aristotle's views on friendship and how it impacts today's society.

Even though Aristotle was taught by Plato and admired his philosophical work, they both approached topics differently. Plato emphasizes the world of idea and knowledge. He observed four things; the physical world was constantly in a state of change and motion, planets moving eternally, and change or motion is always caused by something.