Plato Aristotle Essays and Term Papers
Last update: September 6, 2014-
Aristotle
Aristotle, along with Plato and Socrates, are generally considered as the three most influential ancient Greek philosophers in Western thought. Among them they transformed Presocratic Greek philosophy into the foundations of Western philosophy as we know it. The writings of Plato and Aristotle form the core of Ancient philosophy. Aristotle placed much more value on knowledge gained from the senses and would correspondingly be better classed among modern empiricists (see materialism and empiricism). He also
Rating:Essay Length: 288 Words / 2 PagesSubmitted: December 3, 2009 -
Spoils of Plato’s Argument
In our century, it is not hard to find tyrannical personalities to fit Plato's description. Both Hitler and Mussolini were undone by their inability to be satisfied with their successes. When Hitler had conquered France, there was only one country left in the world at war with him, Britain. Stalin's Soviet Union was busy mollifying Hitler by supplying him anything he needed. If Hitler had been content to absorb his conquests and develop Germany's potential,
Rating:Essay Length: 426 Words / 2 PagesSubmitted: December 3, 2009 -
Aristotle - the Greek Philosopher
The Greek philosopher, Aristotle, is known as one of the greatest philosophers and thinkers of all time. He was the student of another important philosopher, Plato, and is known for writing on a multitude of subjects. Aristotle was born in 384 BCE in Stagira, a city located in northern Greece. His father, Nicomachus, was a physician to King Amyntas of Macedonia. Because of his father, Aristotle had the same education as the aristocrats of that
Rating:Essay Length: 604 Words / 3 PagesSubmitted: December 5, 2009 -
Aristotle’s Happiness and Virtue
In Aristotle’s piece entitled “Happiness and Virtue,” he discusses the different types of virtues and generally how one can achieve happiness. According to Aristotle, human happiness is a life long process. It is continuously ongoing and the purpose has the end in itself. Happiness is an activity of the soul and in that is an ongoing actualization of the soul’s potential for virtue. Being virtuous is self- sufficient in itself and therefore leads to human
Rating:Essay Length: 442 Words / 2 PagesSubmitted: December 5, 2009 -
Plato Vs Machiavelli
Of the many disparities between Plato and Machiavelli, the distinction of virtue versus virtu sticks out like a sore thumb. Virtue was the political bases for Plato: All men should behave virtuously at all times. Whereas Machiavelli believed virtu was the basis for political prowess. What was best for the state as a whole was the main concern, and the ends always justified the means. Plato’s object was the creation of a utopian society--a civilization
Rating:Essay Length: 1,049 Words / 5 PagesSubmitted: December 6, 2009 -
Platos Revenge
One’s opinion, philosophy, or ideology, apparent or hidden can help, or hinder individual or collective development. This hindering action is apparent in Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, and the action of helping is apparent in Free at Last by Harriet Jacobs. Each of these authors has their own ideology, which they would like to share. In Plato’s Allegory of the Cave we look into the lives of people whose ideology is chosen for them.
Rating:Essay Length: 1,735 Words / 7 PagesSubmitted: December 6, 2009 -
Plato’s Republic
Both Thrasymachus in book one and Glaucon in book two admire unfairness over justice. They both are agreeing with each other point of view, Glaucon just trying to prove the power of unfairness. In book two Glaucon points out that most people class justice among the first group. These peoples view justice as a necessary evil, which Thrasymachus said we allow ourselves to suffer in order to avoid the greater evil that would befall us
Rating:Essay Length: 413 Words / 2 PagesSubmitted: December 9, 2009 -
Aristotle's Model of the Universe
Aristotle's Model of the Universe It is important to point out that Aristotle used his theory of violent motion to develop a model for the Universe. Aristotle, and philosophers before him, knew that the night sky experienced many different cycles: day and night, monthly phases of the moon and the yearly cycle of the Sun (seasons). Thus they thought the celestial objects must be on perfect crystalline spheres (the circle and sphere were thought to
Rating:Essay Length: 3,948 Words / 16 PagesSubmitted: December 10, 2009 -
Plato
As a psyche in the ancient Greek cosmos, I have become aware of the logos of the cosmos. The cosmos becomes knowable to me through the virtues of truth, goodness, and beauty. Logos is Greek for measure and cosmos, a Greek word, can be translated as meaning totality. When I encounter the Greeks, they claim that there are three elements to cosmos. The first factor is anthrapoi which is Greek for human-like. The word anthrapoi
Rating:Essay Length: 1,671 Words / 7 PagesSubmitted: December 12, 2009 -
Aristotle on Poetry
The great British philosopher and mathematician Alfred North Whitehead once commented that all philosophy is but a footnote to Plato. A similar point can be made regarding Greek literature as a whole. It may be an exaggeration, but the ancient Greeks created masterpieces that have inspired, influenced, and challenged readers to the present day. Their brilliance is especially evident in the two quarrelsome fields of poetry and philosophy, where we see world of thought of
Rating:Essay Length: 573 Words / 3 PagesSubmitted: December 13, 2009 -
Summary of Plato’s Euthyphro
Summary of Plato's Euthyphro Socrates encounters Euthyphro outside the court of King-Archon in Athens and is asked why he is there. Socrates proceeds to tell Euthyphro that he has been called to court on charges of impiety by Meletus. Euthyphro asks Socrates how Meletus came to his accusation. Socrates tell Euthyphro that Meletus accuses him of corrupting the youth of Athens by being a maker of gods and that he invents new gods while denying
Rating:Essay Length: 1,176 Words / 5 PagesSubmitted: December 14, 2009 -
Plato’s View of Rhetoric
Plato’s view of rhetoric—Ability and deception versus the genuine art Both written by the famous Greek philosopher Plato, Gorgias and Phaedrus share a recurring theme -- the discussion of the art of rhetoric. Through the discussions among Socrates, Gorgias, Chaerephon, and Polus in “Gorgias”; and Phaedrus and Socrates’ heated dialogue in Phaedrus, I noticed Plato’s favour towards the art of rhetoric and his disapproval against the deceptive rhetoricians. In this essay, I will explore Plato’s
Rating:Essay Length: 1,703 Words / 7 PagesSubmitted: December 15, 2009 -
The Republic of Plato
After reading Book II in "The Republic of Plato" I have many questions. I understand what it is that Glaucon and his brother are trying to say. Justice is a concept of a group of people that is created by fear of injustice. It's a necessary evil in their opinion. You do not commit unjust acts towards others so that others will not commit them towards you. It's like an early version of the golden
Rating:Essay Length: 255 Words / 2 PagesSubmitted: December 15, 2009 -
Plato and the Forms
Plato's notion of the Forms vs. the physical realm is quite and interesting topic. I believe something very similar to what Plato thinks about the Forms and our physical reality. Plato says that there is nothing that is perfect in this reality that we live in. And the Forms are the perfect ideals or thoughts that we are striving to achieve throughout our lives. Plato says it is impossible to reach the Forms in our
Rating:Essay Length: 530 Words / 3 PagesSubmitted: December 17, 2009 -
Present and Discuss the Views Submitted by Socrates and Thrasymachius in the First Book of Plato’s Republic
In the first book of the Republic Socrates and Thrasymachus argue about the nature of justice. Thrasymachus claims that justice is the advantage of the stronger. He also claims that Socrates' arguments against that position stem from a naive set of beliefs about the real intentions of rulers, and an uncritical approach to the way words acquire their meaning. Present the arguments on both sides. Who do you think is right? Justify your position. In
Rating:Essay Length: 266 Words / 2 PagesSubmitted: December 18, 2009 -
The Republic by Plato
Book III in The Republic by Plato the discussion of a just city deeply continues. The people that will become the rulers of the just city, the Guardians, are the main topic. The hierarchy of the society begins to come into better understanding and most importantly we are given the means through which that hierarchy is established and of course preserved. Socrates proposal of how to achieve a just society would effect the society's citizen's
Rating:Essay Length: 489 Words / 2 PagesSubmitted: December 18, 2009 -
Essay on Plato's Apology
Essay on Plato's Apology Plato's The Apology is an account of the speech Socrates makes at the trial in which he is charged with not recognizing the gods recognized by the state, inventing new deities, and corrupting the youth of Athens. Socrates' speech, however, is by no means an "apology" in our modern understanding of the word. The name of the dialogue derives from the Greek "apologia," which translates as a defense, or a speech
Rating:Essay Length: 494 Words / 2 PagesSubmitted: December 19, 2009 -
Oedipus Rex and Aristotle
The Six Elements of a Tragedy in “Oedipus Rex” Aristotle’s “The Poetics” describes the process of a tragedy. It is not the guide per se of writing a tragedy but is the idea’s Aristotle collected while studying tragedies. A tragedy, according to Aristotle, consists of six major points. The first and most important is the plot, which is what all the other points are based on. Such points are: character, language, thought, melody, and spectacle
Rating:Essay Length: 924 Words / 4 PagesSubmitted: December 19, 2009 -
Aristotle and the Good
Aristotle has a view that humans do things to reach a higher level of good. Happiness is the highest good that people can attain. Though this is his view, Aristotle also says that people should not aim at happiness. He states that people do aim at what they believe to be happiness. To Aristotle, happiness is not a satiable goal for most humans. Only through living a completely virtuous life can people really understand happiness.
Rating:Essay Length: 345 Words / 2 PagesSubmitted: December 19, 2009 -
Aristotle Says That the State Is Natural. What Does He Mean?
"Human beings have an impulse to live with others rather than in isolation" . Aristotle argued that the development of the polis was natural and similar to the development and growth of biological organisms. Sophists on the other hand, considered that men were simply in pursuit of their own pleasure even if it conflicted with other men's drive to the same goal. Thus, as the state limited man's actions it was argued that it was
Rating:Essay Length: 289 Words / 2 PagesSubmitted: December 21, 2009 -
Socrates, Plato, and Aristotels View on Happiness
What Is Happiness What is happiness, and how can one achieve true happiness? This is the ultimate question of life and what every person is seeking an answer to. Many feel that they have found their answer in belonging to the faith of their choice, but what is it that their faith teaches them that brings them happiness? The Philosophers Socrates, Plato and Aristotle all have a similar view on what happiness is and how
Rating:Essay Length: 1,518 Words / 7 PagesSubmitted: December 21, 2009 -
Political Thinkers - Marx, Tocqueville, Burke, Plato
Madison and Plato are two men from two different parts of historical era. Within the rotation of time, views are often conflict against one another due to needs and necessity of time. Plato was a man or thinker of pure logic than passion. In his view, he argued on how society will be ruled through a systemic process where passion will play with less importance for the benefit of the ruled. He emphasized that in
Rating:Essay Length: 624 Words / 3 PagesSubmitted: December 22, 2009 -
Critical Analysis of "the Truman Show" and Plato's "allegory of the Cave"
Critical Analysis of "The Truman Show" and Plato's "Allegory of the Cave" When "The Truman Show" was released in 1998, it was just another popular Hollywood flick, but its story is closely related to Plato's "Allegory of the Cave." The plot line for the movie follows this classic tale in many ways, some more obvious then others. As with most cinematic treachery, the movie's similarities are no coincidence. The writers drew from Plato's classic because
Rating:Essay Length: 1,425 Words / 6 PagesSubmitted: December 23, 2009 -
Aristotle Impact on Law
Aristotle (384 - 322 BC), was a Greek philosopher, logician, and scientist. Along with his teacher Plato, Aristotle is generally regarded as one of the most influential ancient thinkers in a various ways. Aristotle was born in Stagira in northern Greece, and as a young man he studied in Plato's Academy in Athens. After Plato's death he left Athens to proceed in philosophical and biological research in Asia Minor and Lesbos, and he was then
Rating:Essay Length: 761 Words / 4 PagesSubmitted: December 24, 2009 -
A Film Comparison: Aristotle and Schindler’s List
The Judgment of Oskar Schindler Judge: "Members of the jury, we are present today to decide the level of virtue possessed by Oskar Schindler during World War II. It will be up to you to take in the facts presented by both the State and the defense and make an informed and unbiased decision. Please take extra care not to allow the influences of other philosophers, such as Hobbes, Mill, and Kant, interfere with your
Rating:Essay Length: 1,323 Words / 6 PagesSubmitted: December 24, 2009