Kant vs Aristotle - 1314 Words

The Platonic Rationalist and Aristotelian Empirical Way of Thinking Philosophical Inquiry Section ON22 Erich Grunder Jim Cook 3/2/2007 During the 17th and 18th century two philosophers, Plato and Aristotle, arose carving for themselves a trench in the philosophical world. We can see the biggest distinction between the two in their theories of how we know things exist. The traditions of Plato and Aristotle have been dubbed rationalism and empiricism respectively. Under these traditions many well known philosophers have formed their own theories of God, existence and the material world. Through these individual theories I will show how each fits into the category of either Rationalist or Imperialist. The Plutonian philosophers to be†¦show more content†¦He wanted to figure out how they functioned together. Spinoza accepted Descartes mathematical model for deducing knowledge. He defends, outside the intellect; there is nothing but substance and its modes or affections. Spinoza establishes the Fact and manner of [a] divine causality through careful mathematical deduction. Consequently, Gods essence exists throu gh His own active power and necessity. For this Spinoza was considered an atheist (Collins, 1967, p.83). Lastly Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz was an educated mathematician, scientist, historian, diplomat, theologian and philosopher. He had the same dream as Spinoza and Descartes, that is, hope for a systematic organization of all conceivable knowledge. In order to achieve this dream he required first, to perfect a universal scientific language that would reduce all thoughts to mathematical symbols. Second, he succeeded in developing one of the first forms of calculus. With this reasoning tool Leibniz hoped to bring all thought under the reign of symbolic logic (Rogers Baird, 1981, p. 70). By the 18th century in Great Britain a new philosophical movement was growing. The observational and experimental was coming into focus. The interest of philosophers in the 18th century shifted from rationalism and deductive, to Empirical and inductive. A philosophy was sought that could conclude knowledge through since experience alone. The philosophers to do this were Rationalist Locke, Berkeley and Hume. John LockeShow MoreRelatedMoral Behavior: Aquinas and Aristotle vs. Kant1356 Words   |  6 PagesMoral Behavior: Aquinas and Aristotle vs. Kant When comparing between the philosophies of St. Thomas Aquinas/Aristotle and those of Immanuel Kant when regarding moral behavior, there are some very fundamental differences. On one hand, you have Kant’s autonomous perspective on behavior morality, in which you give the law to yourself. On the other hand, you have the heteronomy views of Aristotle and Aquinas which concludes that one can measure their conduct against an external force. Kant’sRead MoreThe Moral Dispute Of John Stuart Mill And Immanuel Kant1500 Words   |  6 PagesThesis statement The philosopher Aristotle took the challenge of developing a full-fledged account of virtues that could stand on its own merits rather than simply criticize. He spoke about Eudaimonia meaning happiness of which he defined as the good. â€Å"The good, therefore, has been well defined as that at which all things aim.† His theories for happiness and fulfillment followed a theme of pain and pleasure and the proper function. He raised objections to the normative theories by defining his oppositionRead MoreNicomachean Ethics: Ruminations on Virtue Essay1088 Words   |  5 Pagesthe animal kingdom. However our defining self-awareness and free will is precisely what feeds into the illusion that we are in complete control over our actions, when as Aristotle argues, our absolute adherence to what we believe to be morally right, is entirely dependent upon our environment. 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Theories about human nature shape every culture in some way. During the Classical Period in Greece, Plato and Aristotle significantly influenced society’s perception of human nature. Plato suggested that people were rational beings, and connected human nature with the concept of the soul, and the ability to reason. Aristotle’s views differed slightly in that he believedRead MoreNature Vs Nurture Essay882 Words   |  4 PagesNature vs Nurture The discussion about nature and nurture can be considered one of the oldest problems in psychology, the main question of which is: Are human traits present at birth or are they developing through experience? (Meyers, 2013). The natural side of the discussion asserts that the facial features and the way of their development strictly through DNA and genetics are transmitted by parents and grandparents. The nurture side of the debate argues that we are born with a clean list andRead MoreCategorical Imperative2266 Words   |  10 Pagesimperative n. In the ethical system of Immanuel Kant, an unconditional moral law that applies to all rational beings and is independent of any personal motive or desire QUICK FACTS * NAME:  Immanuel Kant * OCCUPATION:  Philosopher * BIRTH DATE:  April 22, 1724 * DEATH DATE:  February 12, 1804 * PLACE OF BIRTH:  Kaliningrad (now Konigsburg), Russia * PLACE OF DEATH:  Kaliningrad (now Konigsburg), Russia Profile Immanuel Kant was born on April 22, 1724, in Kaliningrad (nowRead MoreMedia s Influence On The Perception Of Beauty1389 Words   |  6 Pagesthings. One could easily relate this debate to nature vs. nurture. Is it biology or environment? Of course, it is both. Humans are not just made up of DNA. We are moral and cultural creatures. Discussing the primacy of such factors keeps the debate alive. In defining beauty, scholars have a divide between the objective and subjective. Is beauty attributed to individuals or is beauty simply an objective feature of existing beautiful things? Kant (1951) said that the nature of judgment and taste leadsRead MoreAnalysis Of David Hume s Theory Of Justice2868 Words   |  12 Pagesto be the point of contention. What is seen as ethical or morally right by one is not seen in the same way by another. As far back as Plato and Aristotle philosophers have offered many different definitions. Even today we can see that ownership is not clearly defined for all to agree to. Plato argued that land was owned by the community while Aristotle said it was owned by the individual: A debate which still continues today. While these two philosophers lived about the same time frame, their viewsRead More4. Against The Existence Of God. Ludwig Feuerbach Is A1824 Words   |  8 Pages This proves that Clifford believes that evidence is so essential as it relates to religion, that if it is not present the individuals that participate in the religion are sinning. 6. The Concept of Virtue Ethics vs. Deontology The concept of virtue ethics was introduced by Aristotle and then supported by numerous other philosophers. By definition virtue ethics is not like many other theories that specifically concentrate on the moral conduct of an individual. Instead virtue ethics implies that