Contemporary Thinkers: Plato‚ Aristotle‚ Augustine‚ Aguinas Question #1 : Please discuss the political organization of the Greek city- states‚ particularly Athenian democracy at the time of Pericles‚ Plato‚ and Aristotle. Also discuss the backgrounds of Socrates‚ Plato and Aristotle and the fate of the Greek city-states historically. During the time of Pericles‚ Plato‚ and Aristotle‚ Greece was divided into city-states with a wide variety of constitutions‚ ranging from Sparta ’s military dictatorship
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There are very few figures in the history of philosophy that have been as influential as the ancient Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle. Aristotle was even a student of Plato’s‚ having studied under him for over 20 years. However‚ both men still held opposing views when it came to certain views about how the state should be ruled. One such view was on the ability to own private property and the ability to rule. Plato’s‚ The Republic and Aristotle’s‚ the Politics of Aristotle illustrates both
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Plato believed there are two types of realms. He said there are a realm of appearances and a realm of forms. “To understand Plato’s worldview‚ it is important to grasp the distinction that he makes between sensible "things" and "forms" (Russo).” There is no proof that there are two types of realms. “Thinking is not the same thing as the having of sensations; it is not literally true that “seeing is believing” (Engle‚ 271).” I do not agree with Plato’s metaphysics. Having two different realms
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Plato (429-347 B.C.E) is seen by many as one of the greatest philosophers of the classical period‚ if not of all time. Coming from a wealthy Athenian family it is the belief that he followed and further developed philosophy from his mentor Socrates. His first works are seen as the most trust-worthy accounts of Socrates life‚ and after his death Plato would continue to develop Socrates works with the help from Plato’s most famous student‚ Aristotle. During this time Plato would develop his most famous
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The Allegory of the Cave" by Plato represents a metaphor that is to contrast the way in which we perceive and believe in what is reality. What is reality exactly? What may we see that others may not? These questions can be simply answered with one word: ignorance. Ignorance is what may hold us back from seeing the big picture. In his story‚ Plato establishes a cave in which prisoners are chained down and forced to look upon the front wall of the cave. Behind the prisoners‚ lies a bridge‚ a fire and
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Compare and contrast Plato and Aristotle on well-being. Well-Being: The state of being healthy happy or prosperous. It seems obvious to suggest that the goal we all are aiming at is total happiness; total success and fulfillment. In the Nichomachean ethics‚ Aristotles’ main aim is to provide a description of what this so-called happiness actually is‚ and how we can go about our day to day lives in order to achieve the best life that we possibly can. He begins book one with what philosophers
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Research Paper: Confucian Analects Kong Fuzi‚ better known as Confucius (551-479 BCE) was known as the creator of the religion of Confucianism. Confucianism provided the moral and social foundation of China. Confucianism wasn’t thought of as a religion‚ it was more on the topic of morality. The ruler’s main function in the Confucian state was to educate and transform the people‚ which was based on one of Confucius’s analects. Which are thought of as the right way to rule and live. Up until this day
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path to Larissa and the other who has a true belief of the correct path to Larissa (Meno 97a-c). Socrates tells Meno that if both men led to the same result‚ then true belief is no more useful than knowledge and both beneficial (Meno 97c). This comparison changes in book five of the Republic when Socrates says an ideal state must have a philosopher-king as a ruler (Republic 473d-e). Socrates and Glaucon conclude that knowledge and true belief are different powers so their natures cannot be
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which we welcome for its own sake and for its consequences. Glaucon‚ then‚ picks Thrasymachos’ argument‚ that is better to live an unjust life than just life. In this dialogue‚ Glaucon challenges Plato to proof why be just is better than being unjust. For Glaucon human being is by nature competitive‚ for Plato human nature is either good or bad. In real life‚ real world some people are born bad and other are born good by nature. In Plato’s idealistic world‚ with proper training this nature could be turned
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Understanding the process of being as compared to the process of becoming and distinctly separate concepts for Plato‚ Pieper‚ and Thoreau and are directly related to that capacity of understanding. For Plato (384-322 BC)‚ the physical things of the world must‚ of necessity‚ have bodily form. They must be both visible and tangible‚ yet their state of being-ness is not the same thing as their essence. Plato‚ through his stories of Socrates and Socrates views‚ began the debate that has served both as an intellectual
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