Explain Aristotle’s theory of the Four Causes Unlike his teacher, Plato, Aristotle believed that the world could be explained by physical observation. This approach of using the five senses, cataloguing and categorising, is the foundation of scientific enquiry and study. The approach is known as empiricism. Plato believed that we needed to look beyond the physical for a metaphysical explanation of the universe in the guise of the World of Forms. Aristotle refuted this.
Aristotle has a monist approach to the soul, unlike Plato he says that the soul cannot exist without the body. The soul is not a body but something that belongs in a body, comparable to the brain; it is necessary and is within all humans and it gives us reason, intellect and an innate sense of justice. This therefore can make his theory more convincing than Plato’s as the soul isn’t ‘immortal’ and dies along with the body, thereby eliminating the theory of reincarnation which is hard for anyone who isn’t Hindu to believe as it is contradictory to their religious views. Aristotle states that all reason is associated with the pure thought of the Prime Mover and the soul is what gives the body its shape and form; he argued that the soul is not a substance but the reason and shape behind the matter. Best described by using the example of a marble statue, as the marble stature is essentially a block of marble but it has a shape and form and like the body the soul, the shape and form cannot be removed from what the statue is, in the same way the body cannot be separated from the soul.
• Organization. Papers should be logically structured into paragraphs. Use the prompt as your guide • Content. Strong papers will show thoughtful readings of American Populism. This assignment is not just summary of the book.
As we see in this segment of Document 6 “Reason is in the estimation of the philosopher what grace is to the Christian. Grace determines the Christian's action; reason the philosopher's.” the philosophers of the Enlightenment strove to explain everything by means of logic and reason which was a mindset that was pioneered during the Scientific Revolution. Essentially, Enlightenment thinkers took the rational mindset from scientific discoveries of the Scientific Revolution and began to apply it to society. Isaac Newton's discoveries established the principles of the Enlightenment. At the time, discovery was looked at with skepticism as people had become accustomed to the bible being the only source of information about the world.
Ironically though, Socrates was put to death because of some of his thoughts. Apparently, a too examined life was also not worth living through the eyes of his executioner(s). This shows a strong tie to religion and the limiting factors of Greek civilization. Despite all the ostracizing, philosophy was destined to expand. Aristotle was one of the many who continued the tradition.
Plato’s theory of forms is unconvincing discuss Plato was a duellist and thus believed that there are two worlds; the material world and the world of ideas/Forms. The world of ideas or Forms is the true reality and the world of appearances is just reflections of world of Forms. Plato believed that our knowledge of the Forms was a priori which means that our souls knew the Forms before it was inside us, therefore we have knowledge prior to experiencing the objects with our senses. Plato believes everyone is born with an intuitive but imperfect understanding of the Forms. He also believes the philosopher is able, through using his intellect, to achieve true knowledge of the abstract Forms without using his senses.
This cause seeks to understand the composition of materials in an object, or a thing. For example, we can say that the material cause of a desk comprises wood chippings, adhesives and veneer. However, this cause, in itself does not explain a ‘desk’. This made Aristotle develop upon this cause. The second cause for Aristotle is called the Efficient Cause.
In the beginning of Book I, Socrates convinces Cephelus and Polemarchus that justice is not only doing good to friends and wrong to enemies nor is it only useful in certain aspects of life. Rather, justice is something that should be in every aspect of your life. But when Thracymachus questions this theory by saying justice only benefits some, Socrates (and Plato) is forced to clarify. He goes on to explain why justice is beneficial to every type of person. He explains that the strong can only be powerful when they make just choices, otherwise they will be overthrown by a united majority.
They can be physical parts or concepts (similar to Plato’s idea of the forms). Two main issues come up during discussions of cosmology; how the universe was created and out of what the universe was created. In the Theogony, Hesiod has the world created out of gods that are human by nature and to create this universe the gods reproduced. Hesiod’s theories of the universe can clearly be classified as myth, since there is no scientific background for it. The philosophers to follow Hesiod moved slightly away from this.
His investigations into the men that claimed wisdom brought about much hostility against him. The real issue in his trial is not “criminal meddling” or that he taught his pupils to disbelieve in the gods or to “make the weaker argument defeat the stronger,” but is really his life style or philosophical life and is that these investigations expose the fact that his accusers pretend knowledge when they are ignorant and they have their reputations to protect as being learned men. The revelations of Socrates could also bring about the loss of power and worth of the ruling class, which relied on tradition and the acceptance of the people and would affect the faith in the gods that were accepted by the state as the one true religion. Wisdom according to Socrates is that in respect to wisdom, you are worthless. He felt that wisdom of the Gods was true and relevant and that of humans was not even comparable.