Critical Analysis of Plato and Aristotle - 1634 Words

A TERM PAPER ON POL 311 (HISTORY OF POLITICAL THOUGHT) TOPIC A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PLATO AND ARISTOTLES POLITICAL THOUGHT WRITTEN BY OKWOR, STEPHEN USHIE 09/ED/EF/814 DEPT OF EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS (POLITICAL SCIENCE UNIT) FACULTY OF EDUCATION SUBMITTED TO DR. EJERE DEPT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE UNIVERSITY OF UYO, UYO AKWA IBOM STATE MAY, 2012 A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PLATO AND ARISTOTLES POLITICAL THOUGHT In order to compare these great philosophers, it is important that we first of all view their history from an individual perspective. PLATO (427 – 347BC) Greek philosopher, born into an aristocratic Athenian family in the year 427BC, he was expected to take up a political†¦show more content†¦Association of master and natural slave for the purpose of mutual preservation. To him, this association is the basis from which the family is formed, families then group to form villages and villages, in turn, group to form city-states. Aristotle viewed the basic elements of government as thus: 1. Deliberative (legislature) 2. Executive offices (executive) 3. Courts of law (judiciary) He also classified government into three 1. Monarchical Government - this is a government by one person or monarch. However, it degenerates into tyranny which is a bad type of government. 2. Aristocratic Government – the rule by few elites. Its success is depended on the people that rule. It however degenerates into oligarchy which is when men of property take over government. 3. Democratic Government – this i s the government for the poor and needy and not a government for common good. This to Aristotle is the best form of government but it can degenerate into demagogue and anarchy ANALYSIS ON THEIR VIEWS OF THE STATE: Plato attempts to create the blueprint for a perfect society. This blueprint was a sketch of a society in which the problems present in society would be eased. He sought to cure the afflictions of both society and human personality. Aristotle, unlike Plato is not concerned with perfecting society. He just wants to improve on the existing one. Rather than produce a blueprint for the perfect society, he suggested that theShow MoreRelatedPlato and Aristotle: An Analysis1175 Words   |  5 Pagesof Plato and Aristotle regarding the best political association. Quotes from Politics and the Republic are used to support the author’s thesis. Plato and Aristotle: An Analysis Determining the best form of political association was important to the ancient Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle, and each of them expressed his opinion in important works such as the Republic and Politics. In explaining, comparing, and contrasting the political philosophies of Plato and Aristotle, itRead MorePlato And Aristotle s View Of Civilian Expectations987 Words   |  4 Pagessince the original sin of Adam and Eve. 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Plato encouraged individuals to discover the answers to philosophicalRead MoreGreek Philosophers Bible On The Ancient World And English I2969 Words   |  12 Pages Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle s early lives affected their careers and Greek society, and their deaths and works of literature affected today s society. Socrates started out as a stone mason who eventually devoted most of his time to philosophy. Socrates works of literature reflect his world views and opinions. These opinions had a fatal consequence; he was persecuted for corrupting the youth of Athens. Socrates was Plato s teacher and instructor. Plato used his works of literatureRead MoreComparison Between Aristotle and Plato on Mimesis4881 Words   |  20 PagesiA comparison between Aristotle and Plato on mimesis 1. Introduction Mimesis, as a controversial concept starting from the 15th century, is among the oldest terms in literature and artistic theory, and is certainly among the most fundamental. Developing centuries, the concept of mimesis has been explored and reinterpreted by scholars in various academic fields. The word â€Å"Mimesis† developed from the root mimos, noun designating both a person who imitates and a specific genre of performance basedRead More Matthew Arnold versus Aristotles Poetics Essay examples3833 Words   |  16 PagesThe value of imitation: a vision of Aristotles Poetics Aristotle wrote his Poetics thousands of years before Matthew Arnolds birth. His reasons for composing it were different from Arnolds reasons for using it as an element of his own poetic criticism. We can safely say that Arnold was inclined to use the Poetics as an inspiration for his own poetry, and as a cultural weapon in the fight for artistic and social renewal. Aristotle, by contrast, was more concerned with discovering general truthsRead MoreThe Beliefs of Plato vs Aristotle Essay3789 Words   |  16 Pagessixty years old, Plato, then a youth of twenty, came to him as a pupil. When Plato was sixty years old, the seventeen-year-old Aristotle presented himself, joining the Teachers group of Friends, as the members of the Academy called themselves. Aristotle was a youth of gentle birth and breeding, his father occupying the position of physician to King Philip of Macedon. Possessed of a strong character, a penetrating intellect, apparent sincerity, but great personal ambition. Ar istotle was a studentRead MorePlato Vs Aristotle Vs Plato1814 Words   |  8 PagesPlato and Aristotle had a considerable amount of differences in ideology given that Aristotle was Plato’s student for roughly two decades. Plato, a student of Socrates, opposed the idea of average citizens to participate in politics because he believed that political practice was skill or â€Å"technÄ“ that can only be achieved by a few people. He believed that â€Å"kings must be those among them who have proved best both in philosophy and where war is concerned.† (Republic, 491) and that these â€Å"philosopherRead MoreThe Principles Of Aristotle, Bertrand Russell, And Immanuel Kant1555 Words   |  7 Pagesbeing true and false. Modern logic descends mainly from the ancient Greek tradition. All three philosophers; Aristotle, Bertrand Russell, and Immanuel Kant theorized the question of what is logic. The greatest and most influential of Platos students was Aristotle, but the works of Aristotle do reflect his teachings from Plato but unlike Plato, Aristotle was concrete and practical. Aristotle defined logic as â€Å"new and necessary reasoning†, â€Å"new† because it allows us to learn what we do not know, andRead MoreArgument Analysis Of Aristotles Happiness As An Essential Purpose Of Human Life1219 Words   |  5 PagesBrooke Thell Second Argument Analysis More than anybody else, Aristotle treasures happiness as an essential purpose of human life and a goal in itself. Aristotle was convinced that a sincerely happy life required the fulfillment of an extensive range of conditions, including physical and mental well-being. Essentially, Aristotle argues that virtue is achieved by maintaining the mean. For Aristotle the mean was a method of achieving virtue. What is the ultimate purpose of human existence? What is