The son of Sculptor and midwife, Socrates, like Pythagoras but perhaps less mathematical in his doctrines, was an idealist/rationalist. He was a lover of the truth and believed in the constant reincarnation of the eternal soul, where knowledge is forgotten at birth and we are reminded of what we already know throughout our lifetimes. A good act is not simply good because it is promoted by the Gods, but also because it is useful in making us “better”, happier individuals. Unsurprisingly, he (rather controversially) rated individual conscious more important than the law. Alas, it was this ideology that perhaps gave rise to his death, as he was made to drink hemlock in front of his very students.
Plato was Socrates's prize student. He taught that reality is divided into two: the idea which is ultimate reality, and phenomena, which are manifestations of ideals and are associated with matter, time and space. Whereas as phenomena are illusions and often die, ideals remain unchanging and perfect, an example being a triangle. The idea of a triangle never lives up to reality, as it is imperfect in some way, shape or form. The phenomenal world therefore always strives to be an ideal one. God is the ultimate ideal being and Socrates believes that humans ought to strive to resemble him.
Plato was Socrates's prize student. He taught that reality is divided into two: the idea which is ultimate reality, and phenomena, which are manifestations of ideals and are associated with matter, time and space. Whereas as phenomena are illusions and often die, ideals remain unchanging and perfect, an example being a triangle. The idea of a triangle never lives up to reality, as it is imperfect in some way, shape or form. The phenomenal world therefore always strives to be an ideal one. God is the ultimate ideal being and Socrates believes that humans ought to strive to resemble him.
He stated that there are three pleasures; sensual which are purely physical, aesthetic, and ideal. He also stated that there are three souls. The first is the appetite which is mortal and comes from the gut and is not dissimilar to a horse in its waywardness and immense power. The second is the spirit, which is also mortal and comes from the heart, but it is well refined and trained. And finally reason, which is immortal and comes from the brain and acts as the charioteer of the two previous souls. He went onto state that society was comprised of these three, in that peasants act as the appetites, warriors act as the spirits and philosophers act as reason and therefore the charioteers of the previous two (in other words, kings).
Aristotle was in turn,Plato’s prize student and was interested in both science and philosophy. He furthered and altered Plato’s ideas and stated that the ideals are in fact the essence which remains perfect and provides matter (which is shapeless) with a form and shape. Essence therefore makes matter real, and encourages its completion. The process of this is called entelechy. There are essentially four parts to entelechy, the first being material cause, the second; efficient cause, the third; formal cause and finally, the fifth, which is the final cause. Aristotle states that the mind is the first entelechy and the body is its cause principle. Like Plato, he also believed in the three souls. However he differed from him in that he wrote of the plant soul, the animal soul and finally the human soul which comprised of reason and could perhaps exist apart from the body. This idea would soon be furthered by the likes of Descartes (Dualism).
Aristotle was in turn,Plato’s prize student and was interested in both science and philosophy. He furthered and altered Plato’s ideas and stated that the ideals are in fact the essence which remains perfect and provides matter (which is shapeless) with a form and shape. Essence therefore makes matter real, and encourages its completion. The process of this is called entelechy. There are essentially four parts to entelechy, the first being material cause, the second; efficient cause, the third; formal cause and finally, the fifth, which is the final cause. Aristotle states that the mind is the first entelechy and the body is its cause principle. Like Plato, he also believed in the three souls. However he differed from him in that he wrote of the plant soul, the animal soul and finally the human soul which comprised of reason and could perhaps exist apart from the body. This idea would soon be furthered by the likes of Descartes (Dualism).
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