Aristotle, Freud: Unveiling Human Nature’s Depths
Aristotle on the Human Soul (384-322 BC)
Aristotle, a pupil of Plato, diverged from Plato’s theory of Ideas, positing that reality is more than what we perceive through our senses. He believed in a world beyond Plato’s sensible world, where individual beings are composed of matter and form (the hylemorphic theory).
What is the Essence of a Human Being?
Like all of nature, a human is a composite of matter and form. The body is the matter, and the soul (psyche), which is immaterial, organizes this matter.
Read MorePlato’s Theory of Forms: Unveiling the Ideal World
Plato was a Greek philosopher, a disciple of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle. His life was spent in the hectic period when Athens lost its hegemony in the Greek world after its defeat by Sparta in the Peloponnesian War, the brief rule of the Thirty Tyrants, and the weak democracy that executed Socrates. He did not know the glory reached in the age of Athenian Pericles, which seemed like a dream of the past. The fact of living in a hectic period resulted in him having a great desire for stability
Read MoreIndividual Liberty vs. Societal Norms: Mill and Nietzsche
Individual Liberty vs. Societal Norms: John Stuart Mill
John Stuart Mill sought to efficiently legislate the boundaries between the interests of the individual and society. According to Mill, an individual is free to exercise their freedom, as long as it does not harm others. The liberty of a citizen is only limited by the freedom of their fellow citizens. Therefore, neither the state nor civil society has the right to impose tastes or opinions on those who do not share them, as long as they are
Read MoreSt. Augustine: Historical, Cultural, and Philosophical Context
St. Augustine
Historical Context
The most important historical event of the 4th and 5th centuries AD is the conversion to Christianity of Emperor Constantine I. A consequence of this conversion was the transfer of the imperial headquarters to Byzantium and the division of the Roman Empire into the Western Empire, with its capital in Rome, and the Eastern Empire, with its capital in Constantinople. The Western Empire underwent rapid degeneration, culminating in the dismissal of Romulus Augustus. The
Read MoreCultural Pluralism, Unity, and Globalization: Understanding Integration
Cultural Pluralism, Unity of Reason, and Globalization
Multiculturalism and Integration
Integrating multiculturalism into the relationship between a group’s integrity and common citizenship is complex. The idea that laws should be neutral is challenged by the fact that not everyone agrees on beliefs, especially those based on oral traditions or religion. Laws should be justifiable to all citizens, but the State inevitably makes choices that are not neutral. Consider these examples:
- Amish: Restrictions
Plato’s Theory of Ideas, Knowledge, and Ideal Society
Plato’s Theory of Ideas
Plato’s theory of ideas posits that ideas are the true self, representing absolute truths that are eternal, immutable, and independent of the phenomenal world. Plato believed in two distinct worlds:
- The Intelligible World: Composed of ideas, which are intelligible archetypes of material things. This is the true reality, invisible but accessible to intelligence. These ideas are hierarchical, with the idea of the Good at the top, illuminating all others and providing intelligibility