Aristotle vs Plato - Comparative Essay Example

Aristotle vs. Plato I believe Aristotle and Plato are both great thinkers. Aristotle and Plato both give good evidence to what they believe. There are some things that Plato says that I may or may not agree on, and same goes with Aristotle. In this essay I am going to prove why Aristotle and Plato both have an influence upon my thinking. In order for me to prove that I must understand Plato’s thinking, and Aristotle’s thinking. I am going to analyze their different philosophical perspectives such as their theory of forms, and human nature. Aristotle has a greater influence upon my thinking in the long run, but I want to be sure that I understand them both. Plato believes the body is like a cage for the soul. The real person is not the body; it’s the soul that is held within in the body. I agree with Plato, because after death our bodies decay and we no longer have a body, but are soul still exists. Aristotle on the other hand believes a man is like an animal. Not just any animal it must be a certain kind. He believes the soul is a form. When I read what Aristotle believed about human nature it really had me thinking. I want to say I agree with Aristotle but then again it’s a little confusing. I want to say I agree, because people say that we were animals before we became humans, but I myself still don’t know the truth. If I knew for sure that we were animals before we became humans then I would most definitely agree with Aristotle. Plato’s reasoning behind human nature is much better understood to me. Metaphysics is the study of being as being (reality). Epistemology is the study of knowing (justice). Plato believes there is another world and the world is the world of forms. He breaks down metaphysics and epistemology to bring this world to an understanding. The world of forms is permanent and unchanging. The world of forms is what we know (our knowledge) which came to conclusion by reasoning. Even though we may not be able to see or touch these forms