Aristotle (384 - 322 BC) and Plato (c.428 - 347 BC) are top most influential philosophers to have ever lived because of their works and writings that have continued to influence the way the world order is today. The two have close relations with Socrates, who is another influential philosopher who was the teacher to Plato. Largely, Plato’s ideas were influenced by his teacher who later found faults in what he was taught and became a critic of his teacher. Aristotle’s works was also largely influenced by the ideology of the Plato. While Plato and Aristotle’s works developed through the influences that have been described, there were key differences in the way they framed their philosophy and it affected politics today (Rockmore, 2013). The focus of this research study is to discuss the way ideas of Plato and Aristotle are applicable in the American politics today.
The ideologies of Plato and Aristotle were common in a number of ways. First, the two philosophers developed their works and ideology based on realism. Their philosophical works were based on the need to explore what was real and not imaginary. The two agreed that knowledge could only be said to work well if it is real and can be applied in a real context (Gerson, 2006). This ideology has influenced the politics of today in the sense that political policy debates today are based on social realities that people face. The latest political policy revolution is aimed at addressing real issues facing the people such as food security, jobs, taxation and economic development. The modern politics has been largely shaped by the need to address the social and economic realities that people face. This is further seen through the presidential political campaigns in the US where a larger percentage of party manifesto is to the need to address real issues such as health, housing, and food security among the American people.
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Plato and Aristotle philosophies further share the concept of fixation and reliability of knowledge. They both agree that knowledge must be something that can be passed over and as such, it should be fixed and unchanging (Feibleman, 2013). While there was room for the creation of the abstract ideas, differentiating between what is real and not real is so important in the generation of new knowledge. This idea is common in the political spheres where politicians increasingly champion the need for sustainable development plans that are based on research. The recent political argument in the UN has been the need for governments to invest on sustainable development plans that would work beyond the current generation.
There are a number of differences between the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle on a number of issues. When it comes to forms, Plato looks at forms as perfect exemplars, or ideal types, of kinds that are found on earth. On the other end, Aristotle rejects the theory of forms but accepts the notion of form (Herman, 2014). In the political divide, this has been seen through increased globalization and benchmarking of political economies. For instance, the US has been a model of democracy to many developing nations. Political leaders in the US have used their position to influence the politics of the Middle East and other developing nations.
The other area where there is significant difference is the area of ethics. While both of them looked at ethics in terms of happiness, they differed in the way they defined the values that would lead to happiness (Rockmore, 2013). According to Aristotle, a good life is attained through taking on a rational activity of the soul. This ideology has been largely influenced the American politics through the politics of promoting a welfare state. The American politics is largely shaped by the need for political leaders to build a platform that allows Americans to be provided with welfare services. This is seen through increased advocacy for health coverage, food security, and jobs for the people.
Conclusively, it is clear that both Aristotle’s and Plato’s philosophies are being utilized in politics today. For instance, Aristotle’s philosophy on taking on the appropriate activities of the soul has been largely adopted in shaping the criminal justice system, especially the correctional facilities. Politicians and policy makers have increasingly promoted the need to have the right activities that would promote the development of the right values among incarcerated individuals. On the other end, Plato’s view on the virtues such as love, peace, harmony, and coexistence remain today as key values that are used to promote understanding among diverse communities in the US.
References
Feibleman, J. (2013). Plato versus the Atomists in Aristotle. New York: Nom de l'éditeur.
Gerson, P. (2006). Aristotle and Other Platonists. New York: Cornell University Press.
Herman, A. (2014). Plato versus Aristotle. New York: Random House Publishing Group.
Rockmore, T. (2013). Art and Truth after Plato. London: University of Chicago Press.
