John Vespasian

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    Happiness and Aristotle’s views on the nature of reality and existence

    I’m always amused when people talk about philosophy with disdain, arguing that “it is a waste of time because it lacks any practical application.” This opinion, which is as widespread today as it was during Aristotle’s life (384-322 BC), is profoundly naïve. It shows the inability to perceive the impact of abstractions on daily events.…

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    The role of causality in Aristotle’s views on reality and existence

    As soon as Aristotle passed away in 322 BC, the enormous importance of his contributions got lost for most people. Only a superficial knowledge of his philosophy remained such as the concepts of potentiality and actuality. To the detriment of civilisation, the pillar of Aristotle’s ideas was rapidly undermined, lost and forgotten. I am talking…

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    Aristotle’s key insight on the nature of reality and existence

    The books “Metaphysics” and “Nicomachean Ethics” were written or dictated by Aristotle around 330 BC. They condense his insight on the nature of reality and existence. The key idea in those works is the acknowledgement that existence exists. That essential insight leads to grasping that the world is driven by causality, and that human beings…

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    Aristotle’s views on the nature of reality and existence

    The enormous achievements of Aristotle come to light when you compare his ideas with those of other thinkers. Especially during the decade that he devoted to lecturing in Athens (335-325 BC), he came up with very accurate insights on the nature of reality and existence. As he explains in his book “Metaphysics,” each entity in…

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    The three principles in Aristotle’s philosophy of mind and consciousness

    Twenty-five centuries ago, Aristotle delineated a philosophy of mind and consciousness that has never been surpassed. His principles, outlined in his books “Categories,” “Metaphysics,” and “Physics,” have withstood the passage of time. His books were written mostly in the period 340-325 BC. The Aristotelian philosophy of mind and consciousness can be condensed in three principles.…

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    Aristotle’s philosophy of mind and consciousness

    Aristotle (384-322 BC) outlined his philosophy of mind and consciousness in his work “Metaphysics.” For the first time in history, he proposed a universal method for analysing reality in all its aspects: the cosmos, nature, and human beings. To develop his views on mind and consciousness, he had to let go first of Plato’s theory…

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    Aristotle’s four key contributions to philosophy

    Aristotle (384-322 BC) made four decisive contributions to philosophy. First, in metaphysics, he refuted Plato’s theory of forms. While Plato had believed in a world of pure abstractions (which he called “forms”), Aristotle emphasized observing the material world. Second, Aristotle came up with the concepts of substance and form. He asserted that each item is…

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    Aristotle’s pursuit of knowledge and truth

    You can learn a lot from reading philosophy books, but you will acquire practical wisdom much faster by studying the life of philosophers. By looking at what they actually did, you will draw more accurate conclusions than by looking at what they said. Aristotle (384-322 BC) is no exception in this respect. His books about…

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    Key ideas in Aristotle’s concepts of potentiality and actuality

    The concepts of potentiality and actuality occupy the central position in Aristotle’s metaphysics. They supply an invaluable intellectual tool to assess people and events for what they are, and for what they could become. They prompt you to assess not only what is self-evident, but also the latent capabilities and threats; they let you forecast…

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    Aristotle’s concepts of potentiality and actuality

    If you walk the streets of any large city nowadays, the sheer number of homeless, confused people will make you wonder if Aristotle’s theory of potentiality and actuality has been totally forgotten. While most people today believe that self-development and self-actualisation are almost impossible, Aristotle had already observed twenty-five centuries ago that all creatures have…

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