Plato vs Aristotle: In Todays World

[BobCobb]

I was reading a bit about both of these men's writings andd beliefs, and I am amazed at the enormous impact they have had on the world. But which of the two completely different men's philosphies hold water in todaies society? Is it Plato's philosophy of mysticism, altruism, sacrifice, egalitarianism, existentialism, and religion or Aristotles philosophy of objective, rational, logic based thinking. I believe that if Aristotles ideas had become more prominently bound into society than our world would be very different today. We would be vastly more technologically advanced, perhaps already have reached the singularity point, and living comfortable, long lives. But society seems to prefer Plato's ways of thinking. It saddens me that this is case. How do you all feel about it?

[O.S.T]

I dealt with this topic more than 2 years ago and forgot about it
could someone sum it up? I'm too tired to use google

[DedMeat]

I dealt with this topic more than 2 years ago and forgot about it
could someone sum it up? I'm too tired to use google

Plato looked to higher forms (metaphysics) whereas Aristotle was interested more in the natural sciences.

You'll also find that Aristotle, Aristotle was a bugger for the bottle, Hobbes was fond of his dram. And Rene Descartes was a drunken OLD fart "I drink, therefore I am".

Yes, Socrates, himself, is particularly missed;A lovely little thinker but a bugger when he's pissed!

[BobCobb]

If society hadn't followed the BS teachings of Plato, and Western Society reflected that today, I believe we would be much more advanced, in thought and technology. I despise Plato.

[MÆST]

If society hadn't followed the BS teachings of Plato, and Western Society reflected that today, I believe we would be much more advanced, in thought and technology. I despise Plato.
Did he rape and kill your dog or something?

[Iron Archer]

dude are you trying to get the forum to do your homework? because I've got some homework due on similar topics through an online course... coincidence??? :)

[Selerox]

If society hadn't followed the BS teachings of Plato, and Western Society reflected that today, I believe we would be much more advanced, in thought and technology. I despise Plato.

Yes, egalitarianism and altruism are such terrible vices...

You seem very much on the school of thought that cold logic and hard numbers should somehow automatically take precidence over spiritual development in any form.

But surely if we take that path, then we're doomed to become ever more cold and ruthless in the search for mental and technological effeciency? If we abandon all emotion in our lives in search of making the best choices, don't we risk failing to ever make the right choices.

Uncoupling spiritual thought and understanding means we lose the better part of our selves, meaning that we'll always end up trying to know things, rather than gaining an understanding of them. It's a subtle difference, but I believe an important one. The illogical is what allows us to imagine and to create, rather than simply build (another subtle, but important distinction). Pure logic dictates that we should concentrate on is only that which makes us better through mind and body. But if we do that, then once the philosophy is taken to it's logical conclusion, we lose emotion, we lose art, we lose our souls. If we do that then we lose any sense of compassion and empathy, and by doing so we lose our humanity. Which is too high a price.

That doesn't mean that we should abandon reason. The ability to rationalise and judge is something else that makes us who we are. It's what has allowed us to create what our minds imagine. It's what has turned our dreams into realities. It's what allows us to realise the potential of our inspirations and allows us to create a framework of order on which we can hang everything else. We can't evolve without it. It's what allows us to think, rather than just feel. It paints the lines of the picture, which is coloured by our emotions.

One can't survive without the other without sacraficing what it is to be human. To be human is to think and to feel, to inspire and to instruct.

You could argue that both opposing philosophies are wrong. Or you could simply accept that they're both right, from their own viewpoints.

The truth (if that's possible, as it's all subjective) is that without a balance between the two, we're condemned to spiral into one extreme or another. Balance is what we should strive for, not a stark choice between one philosophy or the other. If we don't strike a balance, then we deny half of what makes us human.

[MÆST]

*applauds

[Freon]

Wow, stop there Selerox. There should be laws agains that in the BuF forum rules .
My head aches now :(