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Hailey Colvin
Philosophy 1010
4.18.2013
Aristotle
Aristotle (384-322 B.C.E) was born into the upper middle class in Stagira, Greece with
his father being a prominent doctor. Aristotle had a love for botany and learned much from his
father, but was sent to study further at Plato’s Academy in Athens when he was eighteen.
Aristotle was known as a dandy; a fancy, fashionable gentleman. Upon meeting Aristotle, Plato
did not like him, he was more proper than the philosophers of this time. Despite this, Aristotle
was immediately recognized for his intelligence at the Academy. Aristotle brought a different
approach to philosophy. Plato was a rationalistic man, but Aristotle was a naturalist. Plato and
Aristotle worked together for twenty years even though they did disagree on many aspects of
philosophy. The two gained a mutual respect for each other and Plato offered a teaching position
to Aristotle after graduation, but then Plato died at a young age. Aristotle applied to take over as
principle of the Academy, but due to his perceived foreignness at the Academy he was denied
the position.
At the age of forty, Aristotle received an offer from the King of Macedon to be a mentor
for his son, who would later become Alexander the Great. Aristotle was a great mentor,
smoothing out the boy’s roughness. While away from home war had ruined his home, Stagira.
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The king ordered him to return home to restore his community. Aristotle received enough money
from mentoring that he was able to start his own academy, The Lyceum.
The Lyceum was located in Athens and was named after the god Apollo Lyceus. Located
in a great location surrounded by beauty this school created a great learning environment. The
Lyceum hosted students of the middle class, unlike Plato’s which hosted more aristocratic
students. Students could both learn and teach philosophy at The Lyceum. Aristotle made it
important that the students interact with the each other in philosophical debates. The school
focused on anthropology and biology; studying cultures, plants, habits of animals and nature.
The Lyceum is known to be one of the first libraries because the students there wrote
manuscripts of their learnings. They explored maps, charts and documents with Aristotle which
contributed greatly to the building of this library.
Aristotle was a naturalist, the belief that reality consists of the natural world. The laws of
nature explain things, nothing can exist outside space and time. Humans are a part of this natural
order and humans behave according to fixed laws and principles. Nature is the sum of physical
things and every physical thing consists of hýle and têlos. Têlos means form, which makes a
substance what it is. Aristotle expressed that in explaining what something is, it’s form, only
refers to the essence of the substance itself. Form is only one aspect of reality, matter exists as
well. Aristotle argued that one can distinguish between form and content, but only in thought and
not factually.
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Form cannot exist independently on its own. It can only be useful in knowing, not
understanding its individuality. Hýle in Greek means matter, which is the substances’ physical
body. Matter has no distinct characteristics until form is recognized, individual things are
“formed matter.” Aristotle believed that order and purpose are inherent in nature. He created
what is called a hierarchy of forms. This takes simple things and continues to the most complex
of things, all based on somethings function. Aristotle believed that the key to understanding
things was to determine its purpose.
To understand something one must look into its relationship to other things on this
continuum. Formed matter explains how change is possible, change follows his hierarchy of
forms, from the simplest to the most complex form. An acorn, the simplest form, makes changes
to sprout, to sapling, to a tree, it’s most advanced form. This is a basic process of change
allowing an objects potential to become actualized. Change can be broken down to smaller steps
of changes where matter is lost and form is gained. Aristotle states that only by asking the
question, “What accounts for the existence of this or that thing?” can a complete understanding
of anything be found.
Aristotle believed that the question ‘why’ cannot be answered the same, there is more
than one kind of why. Aristotle has Four Causes that together constitute a complete
understanding of a thing. The material cause, which is substance from which a thing comes, and
in which change occurs. Learning what a things matter is, is necessary to the whole
understanding of that thing, but is the first cause. Formal cause is the shape into which the matter
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has changed. At this point Aristotle states that one can now know what something is made up of
and how it was formed. Efficient cause explains why something exists, the actualization of this
potential. The change of the substance occurs, the action is triggered.
The final cause is the ultimate why question, the questions philosophers and other
scholars become baffled by. These questions are such as why does the universe exist? Why does
that object exist? The final cause is a things reason for being. The final cause is the end, but not
because it is over functioning, but instead it has reached its ending purpose. Aristotle believes
not only an outer form exists, but an inner form as well where the potential of things exist, what
something is meant to be.
“With regard to excellence, it is not enough to know; but we must try to have and use it.”
Aristotle believes that happiness is a state of realizing a things function. Happiness is
something that exists in the here and now and contain a certain amount of luck. Aristotle
believes happiness can be achieved when someone is mentally, physically, spiritually,
financially, professionally, creatively and socially healthy and well-rounded. Aristotle believes
that one
needs to fulfill your têlos, meaning to aim for the good. Aristotle referred to happiness as
eudaimonia, which means noble destiny. Humans exist, but eudaimonia suggests being really
alive and to not be restricted. Pleasure accompanies the people or persons who are doing what
they are meant to do. Aristotle was a believer in moderation. The more self sufficient a person is
the happier they will be in life.
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The rich and famous were rejected by Aristotle’s eyes, he saw them as not self sufficient
people. Aristotle believed that the middle class was the foundation of a healthy society and that
democracy is the power of the middle class. The middle class is most likely to succeed with his
idea of moderation, they are not over-ambitious, but do not constrict themselves. Aristotle aims
for people to be willing to try and be proud of one’s fulfillment even when everything is not at its
best. If one pushes to an extreme it creates an imbalance and creates destruction. Sophrosyne, the
Greek word for moderation, is a big aspect of Aristotle’s moral philosophy. Moderation is the
mark between too much and too little. The people who find themselves tied up in certain
activities all the time are not fulfilling their lives. They separate themselves from opportunities
that allow them to grow and become balanced, well-rounded human beings.
Through moderation comes the ability to become a whole person, one who realizes their
potentials and actualizes them. Taking a look at what could make us more alive from where one
is now allows a person to achieve fulfillment. Aristotle believes that we build our own character,
virtue is habit. The habits one forms at youth make a big difference in shaping one’s character.
These habits need to be ingrained in us by training, one is not born with these virtues.
Aristotle believes that friendship is one of the best virtues a person can attain. Aristotle
describes in his very famous book called Nicomachean Ethics, which is named after and
dedicated to his illegitimate son, what he finds are the three types of friendship. There are
friendships of utility, pleasure, and virtuous friendship. Friendship is important to Aristotle, he
believes it to be above honor and justice. Although friendship is vital, one cannot be friends with
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everyone. “A friend to all is a friend to none.” Aristotle expresses that many friendships are
based too much on pleasure alone and that cannot be classified as a true friendship. Aristotle
states that friendship of virtue is something of greatness, it is selfless, unlike the other two types.
Friendship of utility and pleasure are only for one’s personal gain. Friendship of utility is
easily broken, more of an acquaintance than a real friendship. A bond is not created, but simply
engaging in small conversation and Aristotle argued that this is a relationship one would find in
the old. This is also the case in the youth because it is simply convenient. The bond is weak and
is easily changed when it is no longer beneficial to someone. Friendships of pleasure are weak
too. They are based off something someone finds pleasurable currently. This can mean a current
love, built on passion. Passion, especially among the younger generations is not constant, it
changes abruptly and causes fleeing.
Virtuous friendship is the last form and the highest form of friendship. This is a
friendship between the good and virtuous people. This type of friendship is long lasting and
valuable. Virtuous friendship is for the select few who care to nurture the relationship with time.
Aristotle believes no one would select the choice to have no friends. A woman needs a husband
and a sister and a man needs a wife and a friend. Aristotle states how friendship allows a city to
come together, “It is clear that only the good can be friends for themselves, since the bad do not
enjoy their own kind unless some benefit comes from them.’’ All three of Aristotle’s types of
friendships have similarities, but a virtuous friendship takes more power to develop, but once it
is sustained it creates happiness for both sides of the relationship and becomes a selfless act.
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Aristotle is said to have over twenty-seven dialogues which are comparable to Plato’s.
Many of these were destroyed during tragic Roman times, but forty still survive to this day. His
work reflects his great intelligence that he had for philosophy, allowing the reader to still see his
outstanding insight into the human mind and the spirit. Aristotle is a greatly known for being the
first to write ethical treatises, The Nicomachean Ethics and the Eudemian Ethics. These longer
works are compiled of Aristotle’s philosophy of eudaimonia, virtue, character, friendship. They
contain valuable insight of Aristotle and the Nicomachean Ethics is referenced throughout his
philosophy. Aristotle believed self realization would occur through a natural process, every
betrayal one encounters starts as self betrayal. One can achieve pleasure through activity and
standards of excellence. “The happy man lives well and does well; for we have practically
defined happiness as a sort of good life and good action.”
Aristotle died is Chalcis, Greece after fleeing to escape charges. His health declined and
he fell ill with disease a year after, dying in 322 B.C.E. Aristotle is famous for laying a
foundation for Western philosophy, having tutored one of the greatest men of the ancient world,
creating a school, and a library. Aristotle explored the depths of many firsts, making him a
famous person in philosophical history.