Similarities between the Views of Aristotle and Plato - Essay Example

To What Extent Is One Way of Living More Practical and Ethical Than The Others? The paper is aimed to present a comparative analysis related to practical and ethical way of living on the basis of Aristotle’s Aim of Man and Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. The views presented by the two philosophers were related to ethics which serves as a guideline and an analysis to the manner by which people lead their lives. Thus, the answer to the question on the extent of difference in terms of an ethical and practical ways man lead their lives can be based on the concepts and views presented by the two philosophers. In Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, he presented the idea that people are living in a world of forms, within which the ideas that were called truths were mere projections of the reality. For that matter, he considered that the ethical way of life for man was to achieve goodness which he defied as the level of understanding the real nature of things. This he stated can be done through education (Plato 453). Aristotle on the other hand presented in the work The Aim of Man his main ideas on ethics. According to him, ethics is a form of practical science, thus he was known for his experiential approach in ethics (Aristotle 691). Based on the views of Plato or Aristotle then, one’s way of life is more ethical and practical that another when one does not only think of one’s own goodness but contribute to the goodness of the society and the state. Through the course of the discussion then, both the views of the two philosophers will be discussed. Differences between the Views of Aristotle and Plato The differences between Aristotle and Plato can be presented on different points. The first one is in relation to the manner of achieving an ethical life. Aristotle viewed that ethics was more practical and experiential while Plato viewed that it is more theoretical. Aristotle presented a view on ethics that is more practical and experiential. For that matter, based on his view, one’s life can be more ethical if it is more experiential. This means that a person needs to primarily focus on his or her function in the society to have an ethical life. Aristotle indicated that a man needs to be “rational and exercise his reason, not just possess it” because this is what separates him from other animals (Aristotle 700). He believed that goodness can be defined as a state wherein a particular entity maximizes its potentials and skills (Aristotle 694). One example that can be given is the profession. If a person is good in a certain field of study such as arts, he or she needs to pursue that field. In this manner, life is more ethical if it’s more practical. Plato presented a more theoretical view on ethics. His view was focused on seeking improvement to be able to gain understanding of the reality of life. Through the Allegory of the Cave, he presented that “power and capacity of learning exists in the soul already…so the instrument of knowledge can only be by the movement of the whole soul…from the world of becoming into that of being…” (Plato 454). This means that Plato considered life as ethical when actions undertaken by man were aimed in the improvement of the soul. For that matter, his view was considered more theoretical and spiritual. Another difference between the views of Aristotle and Plato is the manner a man can achieve an ethical life. Aristotle focused on the improvement of well-being of man through action while Plato focused on the improvement of well-being through education. Aristotle’s view was focused on the improvement of the well being of man through action. According to him, continuous improvement of one’s self was not for the projected end but more for the way people live their lives. “The final good is admittedly self-sufficient,” which means that a man needs to work for his improvement ad ultimately his self-sufficiency (Aristotle 699). In the said condition he explained that self-sufficiency is not equivalent to isolation because in the state of being self-sufficient, a man can contribute to his family and his society. On the basis of Aristotle’s view, then, one way of living is more practical and ethical compared to another when it is aimed to improve one’s self for the optimization of skills and function not only for his own good but primarily for the his function in the society. Plato presented the importance of education in the improvement of a person’s life to be able to have the ethical life. He saw the need of man to educate himself and to ultimately achieve the good end which he defined as the understanding of reality of life (Plato 455-56). For Plato, a more practical and ethical life is one that was dedicated to the good end which can be achieved by educating one’s self. Education in his view was the ultimate basis of the function in the society. This can be attributed to the fact that only through education can man achieve reality. He stressed the importance of recognizing the reality from the “images and the shadows on the wall” (Plato 450-51). In the process of studying, the views of Aristotle and Plato, it can be perceived that Aristotle viewed that ethical life is practical while Plato viewed that ethical life is one that is dedicated to a good end which can be achieved through education. Similarities between the Views of Aristotle and Plato There are similarities in the views of Aristotle and Plato in terms of their goals and the duties of a man for the achievement of an ethical life. One point is that both Aristotle and Plato believed in the quest for goodness and self-improvement. They both valued education in one form or another. For Aristotle, he viewed that ethical life is focused on the improvement of one’s self for a better life. He also expressed importance of intellect as one of the defining characteristics of man. Compared to Plato, he was focused on the improvement of life itself, for the goodness of both the individual and the state. Plato valued education as a tool to understand reality, so that he would not dwell on his material happiness (Aristotle 694; Plato 454). Another point is that both Plato and Aristotle believed in the importance of an individual’s contributions to the state. Aristotle viewed that a man who is a member of the state is living an ethical and practical life when he is aware of the goodness of the state and is contributing for the said cause (Aristotle 694). Plato, then, presented that the society is divided into those who use their intellect and those who apply their skills. Although this is the case, every man has the duty to open up the eyes of the state to the reality of life (Plato 454). Conclusion Based on the analysis of the two views regardless of the end or the cause, Aristotle’s view of a practical and ethical and ethical life is better. A person, who does not limit his view towards working for only his goodness and also contributes to the society but only to the extent that his own rights and his own chance to achieve his end, is a practical and ethical being. Aristotle pointed out important concepts such as the duty for self-improvement to be able to achieve self-sufficiency. His view was more realistic and applicable in the present where people need to work in order to survive and to improve. Although he did not aim for intellectual and spiritual prowess but he did not neglect the man’s duty to maximize his potentials and to contribute to the society. Work Cited Aristotle. The Aim of Man. Readings p. 691-711. Plato. Allegory of the Cave. Readings p.447-459. Read More