Along with Socrates (470–399 BC), Plato (427–348 BC) and Aristotle (384-322 BC) are Greek philosophers in the ancient period who deeply affected Western philosophy. Moreover, because they are changeless, the Forms possess a higher degree of reality than do things in the world, which are changeable and always coming into or going out of existence. Although this view is generally accurate, it is not very illuminating, and it obscures what Plato and Aristotle have in common and the continuities between them, suggesting wrongly that their philosophies are polar opposites. Plato vs aristotle theory of knowledge The theory of knowledge (Epistemology) is the philosophical study of the nature, scope and limitation of what constitutes knowledge, its acquisition and analysis. Web. In The Theory of Forms and other works, Plato states that only ideas are constant, that the world perceived by senses is deceptive and changeable. A “substantial” form is a kind that is attributed to a thing, without which that thing would be of a different kind or would cease to exist altogether. Plato and Aristotle also agree that the universe originated from a more powerful and intelligent entity than the normal human being. The term is lowercased when used to refer to forms as Aristotle conceived them.) Aristotle and Plato were philosophers in ancient Greece who critically studied matters of ethics, science, politics, and more. Aristotle also investigated areas of philosophy and fields of science that Plato did not seriously consider. The most fundamental difference between Plato and Aristotle concerns their theories of forms. Such contrasts are famously suggested in the fresco School of Athens (1510–11) by the Italian Renaissance painter Raphael, which depicts Plato and Aristotle together in conversation, surrounded by philosophers, scientists, and artists of earlier and later ages. He considered returning to Athens to pursue a career in politics when the oligarchy was overthrown, but the execution of Socrates in 399 B.C. For Socrates and Plato, wisdom is the basic virtue and with it, one can unify all virtues into a whole. Plato – Criticisms Relation – Aristotle questioned the causal relationship between Plato’s Forms and things we encounter. Even so, these works influenced philosophy, ethics, biology, physics, astronomy, medicine, politics, and religion for many centuries. Aristotle believed that wisdom was virtuous, but that achieving virtue was neither automatic nor did it grant any unification (acquiring) of other virtues. An aristocratic man with plenty of money and a superb physique, Plato at one time won two prizes as a championship wrestler. Thus the properties “beautiful” and “black” correspond to the Forms the Beautiful and the Black; the kinds “horse” and “triangle” correspond to the Forms the Horse and the Triangle; and so on. Although Aristotle revered his teacher, his philosophy eventually departed from Plato’s in important respects. To Aristotle, wisdom was a goal achieved only after effort, and unless a person chose to think and act wisely, other virtues would remain out of reach. Plato believed in forms, which were abstract, out of the human mind and body, and only one sided. Plato believed in metempsychosis (essentially reincarnation), that the human soul was sexless and could change genders from life to life. The fundamental issue that remains unsolved in epistemology is the definition of knowledge. Tutored privately as all aristocratic children were, Aristotle trained first in medicine. In the Eudemian Ethics, happiness is the exercise of the moral virtues specifically in the political realm, though again the other intellectual and moral virtues are presupposed. The third period of Plato's writings mainly discusses the role of arts, along with morality and ethics. His most important works, copied hundreds of times by hand throughout ancient and medieval times, were titled: Physics; De Anima (On the Soul); Metaphysics; Politics; and Poetics. For Aristotle, forms do not exist independently of things—every form is the form of some thing. PLATO AND ARISTOTLE SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES 2. Forms. Finally, he acknowledged the sophists’ claim that all science is impossible if it is in the sensible world that we seek in the subject. Plato and Aristotle both believe that thinking, defined as true opinion supported by rational explanation is true knowledge; however, Plato is a rationalist but Aristotle is not. 1 Feb 2021. Platon et Aristote étaient deux grands penseurs et philosophes qui différaient dans l'explication de leurs concepts philosophiques. All children born from the Rulers and the other classes would be tested, those showing the most ability and virtue being admitted to training for rulership. Aristotle took full charge of Alexander's education and is considered to be the source of Alexander's push to conquer Eastern empires. His father was Nicomachus, the court physician to the Macedonian royal family. Aristotle believes that the soul is the form of the body, therefore without the soul the body would simply be piles of blood, skin and bone etc. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership. Though having political ambitions as a young man, Plato eventually became a student and disciple of Socrates, the most admired and patronized Greek philosopher at the time. Plato became the primary Greek philosopher based on his ties to Socrates and Aristotle and the presence of his works, which were used until his academy closed in 529 A.D.; his works were then copied throughout Europe. But each man's influence moved in different areas after their deaths. Both Aristotle and Plato believed thoughts were superior to the senses. Aristotle also states that the soul is the efficient, formal and final cause of the body. Aristotle’s views on the body and the soul differ from Plato’s due to his materialist position. Plato’s early dialogues encompass explorations of the nature of various conventional virtues, such as courage, piety, and temperance, as well as more general questions, such as whether virtue can be taught. Thus they are knowable only through the mind, not through sense experience. After Alexander conquered Athens, Aristotle returned to that city and set up a school of his own, known as the Lyceum. However, Plato has been credited with the origin of the theory of knowledge as it was found in his conversations. All the 3 were philosophers. In particular, Reason understands and desires the good of the individual (the human good) and the Good in general. His Republic described a utopian society where each of the three classes (philosophers, warriors, and workers) had its role, and governance was kept in the hands of those deemed best qualified for that responsibility, those of the "Philosopher Rulers." He believed that everything was universal and was ideal, which related straight to his way of thinking. to tutor Alexander the Great, and two other future kings, Ptolemy and Cassander. Plato, on the other hand, gave more importance to the issue of knowledge. Kevin. Ultimately, only philosophers can be completely virtuous. Ethics. At the same time, he recognised with the multiplicity of things Democritus and Heraclitus with the reality of becoming (the sensible world). Whereas most of Plato's works have survived through the centuries, roughly 80% of what Aristotle wrote has been lost. This viewpoint leads to Aristotelian Empiricism. In about 385 B.C., Plato founded his academy, which is often suggested to have been the first university in history. He took on the definition of being given by the Eleatics: one, unchanging, free from multiplicity, change (the world of ideas). The good human life, he held, must consist primarily of whatever activity is characteristically human, and that is reasoning. Substantial and accidental forms are not created, but neither are they eternal. Plato’s Laws, Statesman, and Crito come to mind. The tone and viewpoint is that of an elite taking care of the less capable, but unlike the Spartan oligarchy that Plato fought against, the Republic would follow a more philosophical and less martial path. Plato challenges himself and his ideas in this period , exploring his own conclusions with self-debate. Socrates’ main interests were ethics & Epistemology. Platon On se définit aussi en sélevant, en se construisant et cest le rôle du maître face à son disciple, qui a lui lautorité de la parole et de son savoir. Plato felt that the individual should subsume his or her interests to that of society in order to achieve a perfect from of government. If you read this far, you should follow us: "Aristotle vs Plato." Plato vs. Aristotle 2421 Words | 10 Pages. When Plato died, Aristotle was not appointed head of the academy, so he left to pursue his own studies. Rule by a minority in the interest of all is aristocracy; rule by a minority in the interest of itself is oligarchy. The latter kinds of virtue typically can be conceived as a mean between two extremes (a temperate person avoids eating or drinking too much but also eating or drinking too little). For Plato, Forms are abstract objects, existing completely outside space and time. In political theory, Aristotle is famous for observing that “man is a political animal,” meaning that human beings naturally form political communities. It may be that Plato and Aristotle are now more starting points on analytical paths than endpoints; however, many continue to read their works even today. Aristotle believed that for us to know better, we would have to know our experience better. In particular, the Rulers understand not only the good of the state but, necessarily, the Good itself, the result of years of rigorous training to prepare them for their leadership role. Aristotle put a lot of emphasis on the supremacy of observation and the establishment of reality. Both Plato and Aristotle both have surviving works from this period that reflect this era. Aristotle studied under Plato and remained in his academy for 20 years in Athens but left the academy after Plato’s death. In logic, Plato was more inclined to use inductive reasoning, whereas Aristotle used deductive reasoning. Thus ancient ethicists typically addressed themselves to three related questions: (1) What does a good or flourishing human life consist of?, (2) What virtues are necessary to achieve it?, and (3) How does one acquire those virtues? Rule by a majority in the interest of all is “polity”; rule by a majority in its own interest—i.e., mob rule—is “democracy.” In theory, the best form of government is monarchy, and the next best is aristocracy. His subject areas include philosophy, law, social science, politics, political theory, and religion. Considered to be a brilliant student, in 367 B.C. Plato and Aristotle were leading figures of ancient Greek civilization and both discussed justice and established theories about the views of being just at the time of the newly formed democracy. Plato and Aristotle were two great thinkers and philosophers that differed in the explanation of their philosophical concepts. Plato vs. Aristotle . By Gerard Chretien Plato vs. Aristotle Numerous experts in modern time regard Plato as the first genuine political philosopher and Aristotle as the first political scientist. Indeed, it is impossible for human beings to thrive outside a community, and the basic purpose of communities is to promote human flourishing. They both thought and worked upon the same lines. By “happiness” (the usual English translation of the Greek term eudaimonia), they did not mean a pleasant state of mind but rather a good human life, or a life of human flourishing. Aristotle’s view on the nature of reality is “robustly down-to-earth” in comparison to Plato’s. FACT: Speaking of Realists, Aristotle’s student was Alexander the Great. For some 20 years Aristotle was Plato’s student and colleague at the Academy in Athens, an institution for philosophical, scientific, and mathematical research and teaching founded by Plato in the 380s. RP-P-1910-6901 (artwork in the public domain) Thus, for Aristotle, imitation is inherent in human nature and plays an essential role in the formation of knowledge. Plato's contributions to science, as that of most other Greek philosophers, were dwarfed by Aristotle's. Some of his other works are referenced or alluded to by contemporary scholars, but the original material is gone. Platon a influencé Aristote, tout comme Socrate a influencé Platon. Plato (c. 428–c. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Plato and Aristotle argue that people possess a certain natural ability that determines their role in society. Such contrasts are famously suggested in the fresco School of Athens (1510–11) by the Italian Renaissance painter Raphael, which depicts Plato and Aristotle together in conversation, surrounded by philosophers, scientists, and artists of earlier and later ages. In Plato’s later dialogue Republic, which is understood to convey his own views, the character Socrates develops a theory of “justice” as a condition of the soul. Aristotle vs Plato. Get a verified expert to help you with Ultimate Reality: Plato vs Aristotle. Aristotle joined Plato’s Academy as his pupil at the age of 17 years and stayed there for nearly 20 years. Introduction. Plato’s Republic endeavors to create an “ideal state” typified by the ruling of the Philosopher-Kings while Aristotle’s Politics sticks to reality, a regime of identifying the partly suitable assertions of democrats, oligarchs, and aristocracy. Based on his writings in the Republic and most of the Dialogues, Plato was seemingly open to the potential equality of men and women. As described in that work, the just or completely virtuous person is the one whose soul is in harmony, because each of its three parts—Reason, Spirit, and Appetite—desires what is good and proper for it and acts within proper limits. The means by which happiness was acquired was through virtue. Aristotle vs. Plato To compare the political theories of two great philosophers of politics is to first examine each theory in depth.Plato is regarded by many experts as the first writer of political philosophy, and Aristotle is recognized as the first political scientist. Fig. Some of his writings touch on biology and astronomy, but few of his efforts truly expanded the body of knowledge at the time. The good life is therefore the rational activity of the soul, as guided by the virtues. 348 BCE) and Aristotle (384–322 BCE) are generally regarded as the two greatest figures of Western philosophy. He left Athens when the city was defeated and its democracy was replaced by a Spartan oligarchy. They were both great thinkers in regards to, in part with Socrates, being the foundation of the great western philosophers. However, Plato defined his ideal of justice with more usage of metaphysics, invoking […] Diffen LLC, n.d. Plato and Aristotle, arguably the most important philosophers of their time, both made attempts to define justice. Plato (424/423 BC–348/347 BC) and Aristotle (384 BC–322 BC) were both Greek philosophers and mathematicians. He died there in 322 B.C. For over 12 years, Plato traveled throughout the Mediterranean region and Egypt studying mathematics, geometry, astronomy, and religion. It spawned what was called the "Peripatetic School," for their habit of walking around as part of their lectures and discussions. Although his time at the academy was productive, Aristotle opposed some of Plato's teachings and may have challenged the Master openly. Aristote a mis beaucoup d'emphase sur la suprématie de l'observation et l'établissement de la réalité. However, whereas Plato believed the senses could fool a person, Aristotle stated that the senses were needed in order to properly determine reality. Plato influenced Aristotle, just as Socrates influenced Plato. Chez Aristote, au contraire, la société n’est divisée qu’en deux classes, les riches et les pauvres. Aristotle said that man was a political animal by nature and thus could not avoid the challenges of politics. When Alexander died, Athens took arms and overthrew its Macedonian conquerors. He created an early version of the scientific method to observe the universe and draw conclusions based on his observations. This presented problems to be overcome by each philosopher: Plato had to give an account of where knowledge could be found while Aristotle had to account for how to have knowledge of that which is … Most of these works are written in the form of dialogues, using the Socratic Method (asking questions to explore concepts and knowledge) as the basis for teaching. Brian Duignan is a senior editor at Encyclopædia Britannica. He contributed new concepts in math, physics and geometry, though much of his work was basically extensions or explanations of emerging ideas rather than insights. What remains of Aristotle's works are primarily lecture notes and teaching aids, draft-level material that lacks the polish of "finished" publications. In his Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle held that happiness is the practice of philosophical contemplation in a person who has cultivated all of the intellectual and moral virtues over much of a lifetime. Aristotle VS Plato 1. “Black Beauty is a horse” attributes a substantial form, horse, to a certain thing, the animal Black Beauty, and without that form Black Beauty would not exist. Plato stated that virtue was sufficient for happiness, that there was no such thing as "moral luck" to grant rewards. Being that Aristotle was a student of Plato, their ideas share many similarities. Aristotle wrote books on each area of academic interest, Plato wrote many dialogues that often jump between subjects. Rule by one person in the interest of all is monarchy; rule by one person in his own interest is tyranny. In religion, Aristotelian ethics were the basis for St. Thomas Aquinas' works that forged Christian thought on free will and the role of virtue. He stayed at Plato's Academy until about 347 B.C. Aristotle’s mainly focused on Sciences like- biology,zoology,physics,meta physics,geology,logic,and also on music,poetry…etc. Presented by : Nagla Drashti P. Class: M.A Semester: 1 Paper No:3 Paper Name: Literary Theory and Criticism Batch Year: 2016-2018 Email id: nagladrashti38@gmail.com Submitted to: Smt.S.B Gardi Department of Englis Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University Aristotle believed that universal forms were not necessarily attached to each object or concept, and that each instance of an object or a concept had to be analyzed on its own. According to a conventional view, Plato’s philosophy is abstract and utopian, whereas Aristotle’s is empirical, practical, and commonsensical. Plato fought as a soldier between 409 and 404 B.C. His father was Ariston, descended from kings in Athens and Messenia, and his mother, Perictione, was related to the great Greek statesman, Solon. Here are three main differences. Plato became the primary Greek philosopher based on his ties to Socrates and Aristotle and the presence of his works, which were used until his academy closed in 529 A.D.; his works were then copied throughout Europe.