Plato Aristotle

Vy Truong
10/01/2014
Essay I
History of Science
HSCI 1814
Compare and contrast of Platos and Aristotles approaches to the knowledge of material
objects
Plato (c.428 - 347 BC) and Aristotle (384 - 322 BC) are two of the most
influential natural philosophers in history. Interestingly, Plato was the teacher of Aristotle
and thus has a lot of influence on Aristotles view point. However, Aristotles theories are
also different from those proposed by Plato. This essay will attempt to compare and
contrast Platos and Aristotles approaches to the knowledge of material objects. The
essay will address Platos and Aristotles views in three main points: form, change and
causality.
Plato believed that senses are real. Aristotle expanded on that, saying that change must be
real.
Platos Allegory of the Cave explains his views on humans very well. This allegory is
illustrated by cavemen being inside a cave facing the back wall only able to see shadows,
unable to see the real world outside of the cave. The world beyond the cave is truth and
reality. One of these cavemen steps outside of the cave and thus be able to see the real
world and not just the shadows of it. In other terms, the person has gained knowledge and
be enlighten as a philosopher. This person might very well be Plato himself, while the
people remain in the cave is the rest of the society.
Plato placed his emphasis studying abstract things, and he believed that truth and
knowledge can only be acquired via the language of mathematics, logic and reasons.
On the other hand, Aristotle emphasized on observations.
Change is another topic in which Plato and Aristotle held different views. Plato
believed that real things (Forms) dont change, and thus changes only apply to the
appearances of the physical world. According to Aristotle, when we refer to nature, we
are referring to the form and appearance, which has a potential (or tendency) to change.
An example is a seed, it has the potential to become a tree but it is not actually a tree at
the moment. When it does grow into a tree, potentiality becomes actuality, and that was
change according to Aristotle. This becomes the basis of Aristotles teleology (study of
purposes). Aristotle believes that everything has a nature, or purpose.
Aristotles explanation of the Four Causes in Physics was certainly affected by
Plato. Aristotle argued about a purposeful universe in which all things change toward
ends that determined by their natures. Aristotle speculated that there are Four Causes. The
first of the four causes is called the material cause, which is what an object is made of.
For example, a chairs material cause is wood that. The second cause is called the formal
cause, which is the objects specific shape or form. An example of a formal cause of an
object would be the specific shape and form of the chair, with four legs and a flat seat to
sit on. The third cause is the efficient cause, the source of an object. An example of an
efficient cause is the carpenter who made the chair, or a parent if a human being is the
object being referred to. The fourth cause is called the final cause, which refers to the
end or the purpose of the object. An example is the purpose of the chair: it is made so that
a person can sit on it.
Aristotles fourth or final cause is closely related to Platos viewpoint. In

Timaeus Plato told us how the world came to be. First of call, of course, it came to be
because of its creators will, which is very similar to the the Final cause according to
Aristotle. Considering Platos viewpoint that there are only two causes, form and matter,
it is very interesting to see that at some points Plato seemed to agree with Aristotles final
cause.
Despite being a student of Plato, Aristotle rejected Platos Theory of Forms.
Aristotle, on the other hand, focused on observation instead.
Bibliography
The god wanted everything to be good and nothing to be bad so far as that was possible, and so
he took over all what was visible--not at rest but in discordant and disorderly motion--and brought
it from a state of disorder to one of order, because he believed that order was in every way better
than disorder. [30a]

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Vy Truong

Aristotles fourth or final cause is closely related to Platos viewpoint. In

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