Examine the influence of Plato over Aristotle.
Ans. Aristotle never missed an opportunity to criticise his master. he was more conscious of his differences than of the pointf of agreement with him. These differences, however, should not blind any one to discern the indebtedness of Aristotle to Plato. Understandably his keen intellect did not allow him to be a blind follower of Plato and to accept what the master taught him. However,he made the master's teachings the basis of his own thinking. he developed them along the lines determined by his earlier biological studies and scientific temperament.
Similarities in Plato and Aristotle :
Aristotle had similarity with Plato. he remained the chief disciple of Plato for 20 years at the Plato's Academy. He was to head the Academy after Plato's death but Spensippus became its director and Aristotle could not succeed. According to Sabine, "Every page of his (Aristotle's) later philosophical writings bears witness to this connection". The following similarities may be seen in Plato and Aristotle. boyailed val as v lige has broma en c
1. Inheritance of the Legacies: Both Plato and Aristotle commonly inherited the legacies of Homer to Socrates. In the words of Foster, "Both of them looked with alarm on the instability of Greek political life and on the moral anarchy which they believed to be its cause; and both accordingly believed that the antidote lay in education for a better way of living. Both believed that the good life could only be lived in a city-state of moderate size, could not be attained by all men, but only by those who have sufficient means and schooling to do so. Both therefore wished to limit citizenship so as to make this possible, and both though tit right that manual labour should be done by slaves or by non-citizens."
2. Political Ideal: Aristotle's political ideal was quite at one with Plato's ideal. It was setting up an ethical purpose as the chief end of the state. The real purpose of state was the moral improvement of its citizens, because the state was an association of men living together to achieve the best possible life. This was the meaning of a state. The state alone was -self sufficing in the sense that it alone provided all the conditions within which the highest type of moral development would take place.
3. Conservatism: Aristotle, like Plato, was conservative. He also confined his ideal to the city state as the basis of his political thought.
4. Athenians: Both were Athenians but under the influence of Sparta and they protected oligarchical character of society.
5. Early Education: Both were of the view that education should begin when a child is conceived.
6. Control of Population : Both laid stress on check of population by birth control-and destruction of unhealthy children.
7. Metaphysical: Both were metaphysical in so far as they said that nature has made some men of gold, others of silver and copper.
8. State as Moral and Spiritual Entity: Both regarded the state as a moral and spiritual entity as they believed that 'Good* is the ultimate and of the state. In the case of Plato, it is absolute and in the case of Aristotle, it is relative.
9. Ethics and Politics: Both hold that Ethics and Politics constitute a single and indivisible science. Their political thoughts were ethical in character. Both believed that the only life which is worthy of man was a life of virtue. It is made possible for an individual in and through membership of the state. Aristotle agreed with Plato against the Sophists that the state comes into being for the sake of life and continues for the sake of good life
10. Unity: Both aimed at unity, but their methods differed. 200
11. State and Society: Both equaled state and society and gave no right to man against the statel
12. Against Trade, Industry and Usury: Both were against trade and industry and usury.
13. Political Ideals : Plato was firm to his ideal to the end. Aristotle borrowed ideas from Plato but modified as and when tested according to practical experience. That is why Plato is known as idealist and Aristotle as a realist. Alt the same, according to Barker, Aristotle borrowed many points to the extent of verbal copying. He gave equal importance to women as Plato did He attacked Plato's ideal state and not his sub-ideal state. Aristotle's Ideal state is considered Plato's second best slate.
14. Place and Importance of Education in the Ideal State: "Aristotle was a genuine Platonist in so far as he believed that the greatest need of the times was the proper education of the rulers. To Plato education was the instrument through which the ideal state could be realised. To Aristotle, even though education is not the medium, it occupies a prominent place in his best average state. He discussed at length about the place and importance of education in his best practicable state. Unfortunately, it was not carried to its logical conclusion, due to, his death.
15. The Laws: In constructing his ideal state Aristotle considerably depended on The Laws of Plato. In his 'The Laws 'Plato stated that when men are without laws they differ not at all from the most savage beast. To quote Aristotle, "Man, when perfected is the best of animals, but when separated from law and justice he is worst of all." This is almost verbal copying. Plato said that as it was not possible to procure philosopher guardians, law must be made sovereign. Aristotle also made the law sovereign in his state. Again Aristotle borrowed the origin or state from Plato who staled in The laws that first there were isolated families, then villages, and then came the state trion Iste
16. Golden mean: Plato argued that excess is dangerous. Aristotle was considered one of the greatest exponents of the golden mean in politics.
17. Nature of State: For both, Plato and Aristotle, man is a political animal and can oily fulfil himself in the state. The classification of the state by Aristotle is almost similar to that of Plato. The names of the classified states- are the same even though the methods are different. For both the state and the individual are complementary but not contradictory.
18. Aristocratic Temper: In both, Piato and Aristotle, there is a kind of aristocratic temper. Plato with his philosopher guardians and Aristotle with his limited citizenship exhibited aristocrat temper.
19. Debt to Republic: In the words of G. Grote, "The organisation of government posed by Aristotle in the two last Books of his Politics, as representing his own ideas of something like perfection, is evidently founded upon the Republic of Plato, from whom he differs in the important.