MAPE ASSIGNMENT 4. ARISTOTLE (Essay Sample)

Name Professor Course Date MAPE Assignment 4 Question 1 Plato and Aristotle differed in their ideas about form and matter. Plato argued that form and matter exist separately and that form represents a higher state than matter (Duignan). According to Plato, form exists outside space and time and is unattainable. Aristotle, however, postulated that form and matter do not exist separately and that they are one and the same (Duignan). According to Aristotle, the form complements matter, and without the form the matter ceases to exist. Looking at the two arguments, it is clear that Aristotle provides a more compelling argument than Plato. This is because Plato offers abstract reasoning that is not supported by concrete evidence. As philosophical and logical reasoning dictates, assumptions must be supported by tangible and observable differences. Otherwise, they are not different from religious myths and superstitions that Greek philosophers tried to disassociate themselves from. Plato, therefore, fails in this regard as his reasoning is based on ideas that cannot be substantiated by natural phenomena. Aristotle is more articulate in his argument as he claims that forms are basically attributes that classify things. If we take away the form, the thing ceases to exist. For instance, a red coat exists because it has the form of red. If it was dyed blue, then the coat is no longer a red coat. Plato, however, would argue that the red coat still exists, but its redness is a form that exists outside space and time which does not make sense. In this regard, therefore, Aristotle’s assumption is closer to the truth than Plato’s. Question 2 Aristotle draws a parallel between the composite nature of form and matter and the soul and physical body. According to him, the soul is a form of organic body. It is an intrinsic feature of all living things, which Aristotle describes as “the actuality of a body that has life” (Britannica). The essence of the soul, therefore, is defined by its relationship with the body of the living thing. Aristotle’s argument about the concept of the body and soul is very compelling since it satisfies both the scientific and religious aspects of the human anatomy. The body and the soul are one and the same. If the soul departs from a person, as is the case when a person dies, then the body ceases to exist. This corroborates with his idea that form and matter cannot coexist independently. Question 3 According to Aristotle, involuntary actions are those performed either under compulsion or as a result of ignorance. In the first instance, an action is considered involuntary i...