SOCRATES, PLATO AND ARISTOTLE

SOCRATES, PLATO AND ARISTOTLEA. SOCRATES : KNOWLEDGE IS VIRTUE, IGNORANCE IS VICEWhat is virtue ? What is common to all the things we count as virtue and by reason of which they are virtue?health of the soulSoul is either identical to man or the most important thing about him, hence it is his business to make the best of it and for it (Christianity).Vice is a result of ignorance.Proper way of solving our problems is to discover our true nature___ problems result from lack of knowledge or ignorance. A sound mind in a sound body, which means virtue of the soul corresponds to health in the body.

A. SOCRATES : KNOWLEDGE IS VIRTUE, IGNORANCE IS VICEHappiness is impossible without moral virtue and that unethical actions harm the person more than the people they victimized.Immoral person literally becomes a slave to his desires.Socratic Tutorial Method:a)to assess by questions the character of the student;( ironic process learner humbly accepting his ignorance)b) to set him problems, exhort him to reduce each problem and criticize the solutions he offers (maieutic process drawing the truth out of the learners mind).A. SOCRATES : KNOWLEDGE IS VIRTUE, IGNORANCE IS VICEPractical knowledge means that one does not only know them but lives them.True knowledge means wisdom, which means virtue.Nothing in excess, concept of moderationControl over passion and appetites (love of money, overeating, overexertion)Encourage exercisingKnow thyself is the main idea of good living.Socrates presented complete harmony between reason and passion, between word and deed___an integration of life and thought.B. platoA pupil of Socrates and his greatest reproduction.Reason would rule over physical desires with the assistance of emotions.Moral virtue was rooted on the intellect.Republic book on politics, Idea of Good - its main purpose is to define justice. It talks about three classes :1) common people (artisan); 2) soldiers (warriors); 3) guardians (rulers)B. platoTheory of Ideas- Man absolutely ignorant could never earn anything but he denied that a man is absolutely ignorant.- Individual things we perceive in this world are not real because they change and pass out of existence. Real thing exists in the world of Ideas which alone is universal and immutable.B. platoParable of the CaveUnless man strive for progressive philosophical enlightenment, he remains in the cave___ which is the home of illusion and error, no notion of good life and thus ni hope of bringing order into the world. c. aristotleMoral virtue is linked to character and personality and not to intellectual as supported by his teacher, Plato.He defined virtue in the Nichomachean Ethics not according to the nature of the actions, but according to the disposition of the doer.Moral virtue is developed like physical skills__through practice and habit.Desire to understand the world and to understand humanity and its place in the world.Concept of moral virtue involves the heart and the mind.c. aristotleHe offered a personality type as his moral standard : the virtuous person.Choosing to do the right thing for its own sake and from a firm and unshakable disposition.The Soul : 3 kinds a) Vegetative/Nutritive plants b) Sensitive animal life c) Rational human lifec. aristotleThe Power of Volition (will)The important quality of judgment is will. Reason can legislate (authorize), but only through will can it be translated into action.will is an instrument of free choice.MetaphysicsAristotle disagreed with Platos Theory of Ideas. The form can only exists in an object and not merely in an idea. No matter without form and no form without matter.form essence (characteristic)matter substance which contains the potentiality to realize a specific form.c. aristotleThe Four Causes (First Principles of reality) that Contribute to Change4 Questions:What is it? Formal cause (form)What is it made of? Material cause (matter)What or Who made it? Efficient cause (motion)For what end is it made? Final cause (end)c. aristotleEx. Making a House1. Formal cause (form) the plan the carpenter has in mind2. Material cause (matter) wood3. Efficient cause (motion) carpenter building the house4.Final cause (end) purpose for the houseThe four causes constitute principles of change from a potential state of unformed matter to the end for which it is made___actuality.c. aristotleActuality and Potency are principles common to all things.Child adultSeed- treePotentiality to be changing process called entelechy which means to become its essence. Entelechy means nothing happens by chance.c. aristotleLiving and non-living thingsLiving things have more potentiality for change.Unmoved Mover (God) eternal, immaterial, pure actuality or perfection with no potentiality. - the Unmoved Mover has neither physical nor emotional desires and its main activity consists of pure thought (Nous).Humans and objects strive to realize themselves by moving towards divine perfection. Reason as the highest faculty finds its perfection in contemplating the Unmoved Mover.Happiest life for humans is thinking about the Unmoved Mover.c. aristotleTheory of Golden MeanBalance between two extremes of too much or too little. Virtue lies between the two extremes. EXCESSMEAN (VIRTUE)DEFECTwastefulgenerositystingygluttonymoderationstarvationToo shymodestyShow-offfoolhardycouragecowardc. aristotleLogicJuan is a man; all men are mortals; therefore Juan is mortal.Socrates was the inspirer, Plato kept the Socratic tradition alive and made philosophy a live force, while Aristotle built up a library of learning.