Christian Scholasticism: Aristotle, A Greek Philosopher

According to Aristotle, the virtues are an instrumental part of achieving eudaimonia (or happiness/human fulfillment), however, they must be practiced in moderation. The Catechism of the Catholic Church also discusses virtues as being an instrumental component "in leading a morally good life" ("The Virtues") but differentiates itself from Aristotle because there is no limit to how virtuous a life a person of the church can live. The Catechism states that "The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God," ("The Virtues") and although that is an impossible task, it is encouraging people to reach for their full potential stating that no person can live too virtuously. Aristotle disagrees with this argument.

First to be explored is Aristotle’s Politics. It this work, Aristotle portrays man as an inherently political animal, with logos and the ability to distinguish injustice from justice. He purports that the purpose of humanity within nature is to live together and seek justice. Since human beings live as political animals, the polis arises naturally. The purpose of the polis is not merely to help humans live, but to help them live well, as morally sound, well educated citizens (Nederman 287).

Aristotle believes in something called “teleos.” Teleos is the end goal or purpose of each and every person. Everyone has a different teleos, but what matters is if one reaches his teleos or not. For example, Aristotle explains that an acorn lying on the ground has a chance of turning into an oak tree, but something can always get

Aristotle said that life in a properly constituted polis is the best. He said that the polis cannot be defined as citizens, because people die and can be replaced. Aristotle divides constituency into two parts. Good – monarchy, aristocracy and politeia. Bad- tyranny oligarchy democracy, because it is corrupted. Aristotle came to overvalue the idea of citizenship; life in a properly constituted polis was the best life that Greeks could aspire to.

Aristotle was one of the greatest minds to have lived in Ancient Greece and consequently the world. He has influenced most areas of study of the present world. These include ethics, biology, psychology, chemistry and philosophy. Aristotle’s writing has also, helped historians discover beliefs and rhetoric used in Ancient Greece. Aristotle was born in 384 B.C in Stagira a small town in northern Greece.

capable of moral reasoning, and that we will stand up for what we believe is right. Applying this

Out of all the great philosophers who have lived and taught, none can match the genius that is Aristotle. He provided the foundations for medicine, mathematics, astronomy, and even came up with a scientific vocabulary that is still being used to this day. Furthermore, because of Aristotle’s influence on the western world, it’s not surprising that Europe had arguably some of the brightest minds of the time; minds like Strato of Lampsacus, Archimedes, and Peter Abelard. Without Aristotle’s tutelage, none of these men would’ve reached their full potential. Consequently, this could have thrown the very fabric of history and the world into an intellectual dark age much sooner and, which would’ve lasted much longer. Even the Platonic philosophers would not have been able to fill the void the absence of Aristotelian

He believed that combinations of atoms explained all changes in nature. Natural explanations for physical phenomena (Ionians), the mathematical order of nature (Pythagoras), the logical proof (Parmenides), and the mechanical structure of the universe gave nature a rational foundation and not a mythical foundation. (pg. 50) Idea 2:

In "The Politics", Aristotle would have us believe that man by nature is a political animal. In other words, Aristotle seems to feel that the most natural thing for men to do is to come together in some form of political association. He then contends that this political association is essential to the pursuit of the good life. Finally he attempts to distinguish what forms of political association are most suitable to the pursuit of this good life. In formulating a critique of "The Politics", we shall first examine his claims as to what is natural to man and whether the criterion of the natural is sufficient to demonstrate virtue. We shall then examine what it is about political association that

According to Aristotle“Man is by nature a political animal and he only by nature and by mere accident is without state is either above humanity or below it”

Aristotle's view of politics is expressed in his writing, Politics. Rather than focusing on the individual Aristotle is more intent on the regime, and the highest goal, justice. Another main point is that people must live together, thus having a united regime. The family unit was highly respected, for the household is where people originate. Aristotle's political science encompasses the two

Aristotle was not just any person. He was one of the most distinguished and important Greek philosophers of all time. Aristotle was born in 384 BCE in the town of Stagira, Greece. His range of work was very broad, covering most of the sciences and many arts such as biology, botany, chemistry, ethics, history, logic, metaphysics, rhetoric, philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, physics, poetics, political theory, psychology, and zoology. He was the author of what became the foundation of both Christian Scholasticism and medieval Islamic philosophy. Even after his death in 322 BCE and historic events such as enlightenment, Aristotle’s concepts still remain present in Western thinking and continue to be studied.

Aristotle’s idea that the good is the final cause comes from observation of the object in question. For example, the seed of a tree’s final cause is to grow into a tree, but humans are different because we are the highest form and have the highest capacity for communication among the animals of the Earth, thus, humans’ final

As Aristotle saw his general surroundings, he watched that things are moving and changing in certain ways. Aristotle found that specific things cause different things, which thusly bring about something else. Aristotle trusted that a boundless chain of causation was unrealistic, subsequently, a prime mover or some likeness thereof should exist as the main source of everything that progressions or moves.

of the east. The works of Aristotle have left many after him to contemplate his