Plato and Aristotle Flashcards
Plato advocated for…
adult education and class divisions
Who was a disciple of whom?
Aristotle was a disciple of Plato
Plato and Aristotle advanced the outlook that
rational argument and inquiry were the key to the establishment of an ideal type of government and politics in society
They both rejected…?
the use of violence as a means of finding resolutions in the affairs of human beings
Plato an Aristotle attempted to try and learn..?
how to tame both human beings and nature
Why did Plato and Aristotle place human beings at the highest level of the animal world?
because they possess the power of speech and reasoning and by virtue of the fact can organize their activities on the basis of thought
Plato was a student of ?
Socrates
P & S both believed
in the application of reason and rational inquiry as the key to the establishment of a good life
What is meant by the term philosopher Kings?
rulers who had both the breeding and the aptitude to be prepared for the task of ruling
In crafting of the philosopher king the ruling class had to…?
- selectively breed
- prepare future rulers with relevant continuous education
- ensure they acquire the right qualities of a leader (wisdom, leadership, governance)
What is more important for Plato & Aristotle? Virtue or Popularity?
Virtue
Plato’s class structure was based on?
his threefold division of the soul
The soul was divided into 3 parts ?
- The rational (gives guidance)
- the spirited (gives animation to thought)
- the appetitive (expresses desires)
His division of society saw it divided into
the ruling class the soldier-administrative class and the producer class
What was the chief difference between the ruling class and the producer class?
political wisdom and the technical knowledge
What was Aristotle’s best form of government and why?
Monarchy because it consisted of the best ruler absolutely who would rule in the interests of the society
What was his 2nd preference of Government?
Aristocracy which would consist of the best persons absolutely who would rule in the best interest of society
What is meant by constitutional government or “polity”
a compromise between the wealth of the rich and the freedom of the poor
What are the true and perverse forms of government according to Aristotle?
Monarchy - Tyranny
Aristocracy - Oligarchy
Constitutional government - democracy
What was Aristotle’s chief theory about the state?
it is a community and that it is the highest of all communities
The state is the highest community because of?
the evolution of human beings
Logic
As far as law and order in the state are concerned Aristotle argued…?
that it was better to apply a single principle (the rule of law) to all, than to trust the judgement of any single individual in the application of the law
