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Aristotle was taught by Plato who was in turn taught by Socrates and what a trinity they were, between them they founded Western philosophy - outstanding chaps! Aristotle's output is truly mind-boggling, all the more so when you consider that only around a third of his works survive. His range of knowledge is equally truly stupendous, he studied most everything - physics, geography, geology, anatomy, astronomy, economics, meteorology, zoology, philosophy, theology, politics, literature - the list is exhausting, the guy was one very curious fellow, it has been said that he was the last person to know everything there was to be known in his own time. He was first and foremost a scientist, beginning as a biologist before moving on to writing treatises on physics, metaphysics, logic, aesthetics, ethics, psychology and politics. He viewed all these subjects as being sciences, dividing them into three categories - the theoretical, the productive and the practical. He placed ethics and politics in the latter category believing that if approached and researched properly, they could be utilised as a way of changing the way people conduct their lives. He believed that these practical sciences could be developed on a scientific basis, through experiment and not theory. This was one of the issues on which Aristotle split with Plato. His original immersion in biology had a huge influence on his thought, he believed that man was a political animal that dwelt in a polis. This idea brought him into direct confrontation with the sophists who believed that nature was the antithesis of culture.
Aristotle viewed society as being derived from base natural need which in turn is derived from two human associations. Firstly, the association of male and female for the purpose of procreation and the association of master and natural slave for the purpose of mutual preservation. From these associations a household is formed which groups together to from villages which in turn group together to form the polis. Aristotle was an advocate of the state, he thought that the state brought out the best in the human species, opening up our capacity to be just. Indeed, he believed the state to be a natural entity, that it is in fact a natural end to all the associations, that the state is in itself a supra-being of which individuals are simply the parts, even stretching as far as thinking the citizen belonging to the state. It quacks a tad of totalitarianism, especially as Aristotle does not define every human as a citizen but rather only freeborn, non-artisan males who are granted the privilege, therefore only a select minority are actually citizens. Aristotle held that not all humans possessed sufficient reasoning powers and that they must obey the directions of those that do. If slaves and women are treated in this manner, they will prove to be happier, Aristotle contends. His ideal state would decide everything for the individual, as intrusive as deciding when people would produce children and what would be acceptable as art. The fact that some individuals would not proscribe such a process is simply not dwelt upon. So, could it be true to say that even arguably the greatest mind that ever ticked can be a tad, eh, shall we say misled?
Russell Shortt is a travel consultant with Exploring Ireland, the leading specialists in customised, private escorted tours, escorted coach tours and independent self drive tours of Ireland. Article source Russell Shortt, http://www.exploringireland.net
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