Plato vs Aristotle: Comparing Philosophies
Posted on Nov 17, 2024 in Philosophy and ethics
Comparison of Plato and Aristotle
Category | Plato | Aristotle |
Ontology
| Divides reality into two worlds: the world of essences or ideas and the world of sensible objects. The former is the true reality, the latter mere appearance. | Fuses the two worlds into one: the sensitive, full of substances formed by matter and form. Matter is the potential of the substance, and form is the actuality. Everything in nature tends towards perfection (teleological). |
Epistemology | Rationalism. Ideas are imprinted on the soul, and knowledge is gained through memory or reminiscence (innate ideas). This involves a dialectical ascent from imagination and belief (sensory world) through mathematical shapes (dianoia) to pure knowledge. | Empiricism. Knowledge comes from observation through the senses. The mind is a blank slate without innate ideas. Knowledge is gained by abstracting matter and form from sensory perceptions. |
Anthropology | Dualistic. Humans are composed of body and soul. The soul has three parts: rational (intellectual), irascible (noble passions), and concupiscible (vile passions). The soul is immortal, and its union with the body is accidental. | Dualistic. Humans are composed of body and soul, but the soul is inseparable from the body, being its form. The soul is the principle of life, with vegetative, sensitive, and rational aspects. |
Ethics | Intellectual moral. Virtue comes from knowing the idea of good. Justice is achieved through reason’s mastery over passions. Each part of the soul must achieve its virtue for balance and happiness (Eudaimonia). | Practical ethics. Happiness is achieved through exercising intellectual and ethical virtues. This involves finding the mean between extremes and applying reason to actions (Eudaimonia). |
Politics | Political utopianism. Ideal society where each class fulfills its function based on its predominant soul part. Philosophers rule, warriors defend, and craftsmen produce. Equal rights and duties for men and women in the ideal Republic. | Political realism. Analyzes actual political events and constitutions. Favors a mixed government (polity) with a strong middle class for stability. Considers humans as political beings who realize their potential in society. |
Ethics & Politics | Inseparable. Ethics is subordinate to politics. Each part of the soul corresponds to a social class. The common good is above the individual. | Inseparable. Ethics is subordinate to politics. Happiness is achieved in society. The common good is prioritized over the individual. |
