Aristotle's life and Philosophy

• Aristotle lived from 384-322 BC.

Understanding Aristotle's Philosophy

• Aristotle differed from Plato by grounding knowledge in the physical world, whereas Plato focused on ideal forms.
• Aristotle embraced empiricism, knowledge from experience, unlike Plato's emphasis on innate knowledge and rationalism.
• In politics, Aristotle favored constitutional government based on practical needs, unlike Plato's ideal of a philosopher-king.
• Aristotle was a student of Plato and tutored Alexander the Great.
• He founded the Lyceum and wrote on logic, ethics, metaphysics, biology, and politics.
• Aristotle leaned towards materialism, emphasizing tangible substances, a contrast to Plato's focus on abstract forms.
• He defined humans as "rational animals" and valued reason for ethics and knowledge.
• Aristotle's ethics centered on achieving eudaimonia (flourishing) through virtuous living.
• He believed moral virtue develops through habit and advocated for the Golden Mean, which is moderation.
• Aristotle is considered the father of formal logic and developed syllogism as deductive reasoning.
• Logic is a system ensuring validity in arguments and distinguishing valid conclusions.
• Syllogism is a logical structure with a major premise, minor premise, and conclusion.
• Aristotle emphasized empirical observation to determine truth and advocated for clear definitions of terms.
• He believed that knowledge is acquired through observation and experience, not innate ideas.
• Induction involves deriving general principles, while deduction applies them to specific cases.
• Nous, or intellect, is essential for grasping first principles.
• Aristotle saw happiness (eudaimonia) as the highest goal, achieved through virtue and guided by practical wisdom (phronesis).
• Arete is excellence in fulfilling one’s function.
• He advocated the unity of knowledge, integrating philosophy with science, ethics, and politics.
• The Golden Mean suggests moral virtue lies between extremes.
• Ethical decisions depend on circumstances rather than rigid rules based on situational ethics.

Key Tenets of Stoicism

• Virtue is the highest good, leading to inner peace.
• Wisdom, courage, justice, and moderation are cardinal virtues.
• Stoicism was developed by Zeno of Citium and later refined by Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, and Epictetus.
• The dichotomy of control involves what we can control (thoughts, actions) versus what we cannot (death, reputation, fate).
• Stoicism emphasizes duty, resilience, and acceptance of fate, influencing early Christian thought.
• Memento Mori encourages reflection on mortality to live virtuously.
• Key Stoic philosophers include Zeno of Citium, Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, and Epictetus.
• Zeno is the founder, Seneca was a Roman statesman, Marcus Aurelius an emperor, and Epictetus a former slave.

Core Concepts of Deconstructionism

• Deconstructionism is a critical analysis method that questions traditional structures of meaning.
• Language shapes and distorts reality, so meaning is never fixed by authentic speech.
• It challenges binary oppositions to reveal complexities.
• Deconstructionism critiques the Western tendency to privilege speech and central meaning (logocentrism).
• Jacques Derrida is seen as the founder, who argued that meaning is unstable.

Nietzsche's Philosophy (1844-1900)

• Nietzsche was a German philosopher who critiqued traditional morality and religion.
• He was influenced by Sophocles and Greek tragedy, believing in catharsis through confronting existential suffering.
• The loss of religious faith leads to moral upheaval based on the "Death of God".
• Western morality is rooted in a "slave mentality" that values weakness, needing a reevaluation of morals and values.
• The Ubermensch (Overman/Superman) is the ideal individual who creates personal values.
• Will to Power is the fundamental drive for dominance.
• Eternal Recurrence suggests living as if life would eternally repeat.

Existentialism and Kierkegaard (1813-1855)

• Existentialism emphasizes individual responsibility and choice.
• Kierkegaard outlined stages of life: aesthetic, ethical, and religious.
• True faith requires personal commitment beyond dogma.
• The goal is self-actualization rather than absolute truth.