Category: Philosophy

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    The great merit of Schopenhauer’s theory of the will

    The theory of the will formulated by Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) was neither original nor revolutionary. Before the publication of Schopenhauer’s ideas, dozens of theologians had postulated that a divine force is the ultimate driver of all events in the world. Even Aristotle (384-322 BC) had speculated that all actions in the cosmos are driven by…

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    Schopenhauer’s theory of the will

    The theory of the will constitutes the key element in all books by Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) and the most distinctive aspect of his philosophy. Schopenhauer regarded “the Will” as the fundamental force in nature, a force that drives animal and human existence. Schopenhauer is the most important thinker in the decades after Immanuel Kant (1724-1804),…

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    Schopenhauer’s philosophy summary

    Few thinkers in history have developed integrated systems of philosophy. I view Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) as one of those few. The key of Schopenhauer’s philosophy is that all reality is governed by a cosmical force, which he calls “Will.” According to Schopenhauer, Will is blind, irrational, eternal and all-powerful. It’s the prime force that drives…

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    The path of Aristotle’s influence on Western philosophy

    The influence of Aristotle (384-322 BC) on Western ideals, philosophy and society has been a slow and difficult process. I tend to choose direct ways when it comes to business, learning, and problem solving but Aristotelian ideas survived and spread only indirectly. Before Aristotle’s works became popular in twelve-century Europe, they had been preserved in…

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    Aristotle’s influence on Western philosophy

    The historical influence of Aristotle (384-322 BC) rests on the labours of one man, namely, Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274). I find it remarkable that Aquinas made Aristotle’s philosophy popular even though he had never intended to do so. Aquinas was an Italian Dominican monk and theologian, who aimed at spreading Christian ideals. He could not care…

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    The revival of Aristotle’s views on education

    The twentieth century has generated three serious initiatives to revive the educational philosophy put forward by Aristotle (384-322 BC), or similar to his. In essence, revival initiatives aim at prioritizing the student’s individual development. Let’s review these three attempts and see the extent to which they have remained loyal to Aristotelian education. Let’s assess if…

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    Putting Aristotle’s views on education into practice

    After the disastrous distortions introduced in late Antiquity, it took twenty-three centuries to put into practice the views that Aristotle (384-322 BC) had developed on education. The reason for the long interval is not that Aristotle’s ideas on education are difficult to grasp. In fact, it only takes a few hours of study to understand…

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    Opponents to Aristotle’s views on education

    After Aristotle’s death in 322 BC, it did not take long for the world to forget his contributions to educational theory. His idea that the purpose of life is happiness received attacks from all sides. His definition of virtues as “habits leading to happiness” fell into oblivion. His view of education as a process of…

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    Aristotle’s views on education

    Aristotle (384-322 BC) outlined his philosophy of education primarily in his works “Eudemian Ethics” and “Nicomachean Ethics.” His work “Politics” also contains some statements on education, as part of Aristotle’s views on governance and social organisation. The Aristotelian formula for education revolves around the concept of virtue: the purpose of education is to equip students…

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    Impact of Aristotle’s views on knowledge and learning

    Despite its innovative, accurate character, philosophers first rejected the philosophy developed by Aristotle (384-322 BC) on knowledge and learning. His empiricism fell into disregard, and his detailed causal analysis (material cause, formal cause, efficient cause, and final cause) was seldom taught to students. For instance, Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) was a fierce contender of Aristotle’s…