Category: Aristotle
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Aristotle’s views on ethics, virtue and happiness
Aristotle (384-322 BC) believed that ethics have a clear, definite purpose. He defined ethics as the science of achieving eudaimonia, which means “a happy, thriving, flourishing life.” He argued that human beings can only achieve happiness by living a life of virtue. Unfortunately, in some cases, he wrongly identified virtue with the “golden mean,” a…
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Happiness and Aristotle’s theory of the soul
The process of philosophical development is similar to the process of learning to walk after you have suffered an injury. It takes lots of training for your muscles to work properly and in a coordinated manner. The learning process can prove tough, but works fine if you are willing to put in the hours; there…
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Aristotle’s theory of the soul
People frequently ask me what is the point of studying philosophy? My answer is always short. A few words suffice. The point of studying philosophy is learning to see. Once you get familiar with key philosophical doctrines, such as those put forward by Aristotle, you will understand the world better and make better decisions. A…
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Aristotle’s concept of teleology
You can accurately predict a person’s future if you know his goals and the intensity of his motivation. Aristotle, one of the three most influential philosophers in history, introduced the concept of teleology, a framework that examines the objectives of human action. “Teleology” is derived from the Greek word “telos,” which means end, purpose, motivation…
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Aristotle’s theory of the four causes
In this article, I present one of Aristotle’s key contributions to philosophy. Aristotle’s theory of the four causes seems at first sight very easy to understand, but if you dig into the details, you will see its epochal consequences. It changed human mentality, and in doing so, it changed the course of history. The four…
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Aristotle’s philosophy of metaphysics
The first thing to say about Aristotle’s metaphysics is that its very name has become misleading. The original Ancient Greek text is using the term “metaphysics” with the meaning “principles of physics” or “principles of reality.” In Aristotle’s writings, “metaphysics” has nothing to do with the supernatural, the occult, or hidden forces of nature. On…
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Aristotle’s theory of causality
It is not easy to summarize the work of a lifetime in one sentence, especially when the person in question has written one and a half million words. However, in Aristotle’s case, we do not even need a full sentence to summarize his teachings. We can do it in just one word: causality. Aristotle (384-322…
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