Comparison of Philosophers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Comparison of Philosophers - Essay Example At the closing stages of the series, he said, the objects present no longer relative, but absolute. Aristotle believed philosophy to have an "ennobling effect on the philosopher, such that he or she is brought as close as possible to divine state." As you know, the common belief now days are that philosophy will provide contentment, or some kind of consolation because of a particular broadening of the mind. For a start too many philosophers' personalities are so different, yet they have fundamentally the same knowledge, which clearly means philosophical knowledge does not make for a particular reaction. A lot of those who do have the stereotypical personality trait associated with being a philosopher have had it ever before they started philosophy, which is equally well known. You often hear people saying it is particular Note in Book 1 chapter 1 how Aristotle carefully distinguishes between the man of experience and the man of wisdom. Wisdom for Aristotle, aims at knowledge for its own sake, not for the sake of producing anything (e.g. health, material goods, etc.). And since Metaphysics is the science, which seeks after knowledge for its own sake, metaphysics is often referred to as the "first philosophy." "Clearly then, Wisdom is k... . of existence And for no other reason than knowledge, wisdom, and therefore Metaphysics, is the sort of knowledge that deals with causes and principles of things. Knowledge becomes the one of the primary basic human goods that they pursue. What do you think of 'choice' as being that which first comes to play in a life We make choices and 'prioritize' which goods we wish to pursue. Aristotle states that the philosopher's subject (which is existing things qua existing) must have a principle which is not a theory or hypothesis. And it is the philosopher's job to know what it is. The principle is commonly known today as: The Principle of Non-Contradiction. Indeed, Aristotle calls this principle the most certain of all principles (i.e. of any knowledge whatsoever). Namely, "the same attribute cannot at the same time belong and not belong to the same subject and the same respect.' And this principle Aristotle believes is the point of departure for all further knowledge. This principle, of course, has been debated over since then. Aristotle's Book IV demonstrating this "most certain of all the principles." Expressed in Aristotle's language, the law reads: "It is impossible for the same attribute at once to belong and not to belong to the same thing in the same relation." This means two things. 1) It is impossible for something to be and not to be at the same time, and in respect to the same thing. For example, a man is either alive or dead. He cannot be halfway between life and death, and he cannot be both dead and alive at the same time. 2) It is impossible for a substance to be a particular something and to be its opposite at the same time and