The Philosophy of Plato and Aristotle

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses Plato's epistemological theories, beliefs on ethics, love and music, theory of the primordial existence of three sexes and his political ideas. The paper then looks at the works of Aristotle, who was in many ways Plato's direct follower, although he was more methodical than Plato. The paper examines Aristotle's ideas on substance, essence and virtue. The paper concludes that Plato's and Aristotle's philosophies are essential to the Western tradition.

From the Paper:

"Plato and Aristotle are two of the philosophers whose works have not only survived the test of time but that are actually taken to be the foundation of Western philosophy. Their works span a wealth of philosophical concepts and notions, being concerned at the same time with metaphysics, ethics, epistemology, ontology, politics and so forth. As it will be seen, despite the fact that Aristotle is Plato's student, his philosophy nevertheless diverges in many points from that of his master. The systems of thought belonging to the two philosophers can hardly be reduced to a few schematic notions, but the crucial aspects will be discussed and compared."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Ackrill, J.L. Essays on Plato and Aristotle. Westoprt: Clarendon Press, 1997.
• Aristotle. Metaphysics. New York: Rutledge, 1983.
• -- Nicomachean Ethics. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing, 1985
• Plato. The Collected Dialogues of Plato, Including the Letters, ed. by Edith Hamilton and Hungtinton Cairns. New York: Pantheon Books, 1961.

More papers on The Philosophy of Plato and Aristotle:

• Comparison Essay # 133215 : "American Democracy in the Philosophies of Plato and Aristotle"
• Comparison Essay # 730 : "Good and Happiness in the Works of Plato and Aristotle"
• Comparison Essay # 75102 : "Values" in the Works of Plato, Aristotle and Nietzsche "

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: