Aristotle is one of the most influential names in philosophy. A student of Plato, departing from the teachings of his teacher and creating his own school, Aristotle was the main teacher of Alexander the Great, and his ideas influenced the political activities of Macedon. It was Aristotle who laid the foundation for several modern sciences, such as political science and sociology, whose quotes and aphorisms are still relevant.
Biography
The future great philosopher was born in 384 BC. e. His father, Nicomachus (after whom Aristotle named his son and, probably, the volume of his ethics), worked as a royal healer at the Macedonian court. The position of father determined the early acquaintance of Aristotle with Philip II of Macedon, the father of Alexander. Philip stood at the foundation of the heyday of the Macedonian state, which fell precisely on the childhood and youth of Aristotle.
In early youth, Aristotle was left without a father, but he received a rich inheritance that allowed the young man not to interrupt his education. Two years later, Aristotle moved to Athens and joined the Platonov School. He was a student, ally and friend of Plato for twenty years, despite the fact that in many ways he did not agree with his teacher.
After the death of Plato, Aristotle left Athens, got married and became a teacher of Alexander the Great until his 18th birthday. Despite his services to the polis and the creation of his own philosophical school, Aristotle remained a citizen of Macedonia and was forced to leave the Greek polis after the death of Alexander. The philosopher himself died a year after his famous student.
Aristotle's Philosophy
In addition to the fact that Aristotle developed ethics and became the founder of formal logic, creating a conceptual apparatus that is relevant to this day, he also became the only philosopher of the classical period to create a philosophical system. Aristotle touched all spheres of human life — ontology, religion, sociology, politics, physics, logic, and even the origin of species . Quotes about life, taken from his collections or the memoirs of his students and associates, reflect his wisdom and deep knowledge in various fields.
Aristotle singled out theoretical sciences - those that give only knowledge. These include physics, metaphysics, theology and mathematics. Ethics and politics - practical sciences; knowledge gained from studying them can be applied in activities. Aristotle's ideas about the state had a special influence on modern philosophy . In fact, he became the progenitor of sociology and political science.
Aristotle's Ideas and Quotes about the State
Aristotle was an individualist and zealously opposed the ideas of Plato about the ideal structure of the state. The ideal arrangement of the policy, according to Plato, was "communal." It was assumed a community of everything - from wealth to wives and children. Aristotle said that communism and polygamy destroy the state. Based on disagreements, Aristotle's famous quote “Plato is my friend, but the truth is more expensive,” appeared in the original, which sounded a little more complicated in the original.
Aristotle was a supporter of private property, slavery and monogamy, while he considered the social status of some sections of the state lower, for example, slaves, poor and women. A person’s desire to live in society and reasonably create first a family, then a community, and later a state. However, being a citizen means putting the state above the family and community.
The origin and nature of the state
Aristotle adhered to the historical theory of the creation of the state. According to his ideas, the beginning of the state system was the nature of man - a social being that requires communication. A person’s desire to live is not just comfortable, but happily determines his desire for socialization. According to Aristotle, a person who does not need communication is either an animal or a deity.
To achieve basic needs that cannot be achieved alone, people - men and women - joined together in families. Families began to live closer together, forming communities. There was a division of labor, a system of exchange and slavery. Subsequently, these communities grew and evolved into a state. Aristotle's quote about the social nature of man is as follows: "A person who is unable or unwilling to live in society is either a beast or God, for he alone needs enough."
Aristotle compares the state with the human body, in which each part of the body, each organ performs its individual function: head, hands, heart, etc. Hence Aristotle’s quote about governance: “A person has one head, so the state must have one ruler ". The idea of a single organism makes the philosopher believe in the need for certain freedoms and rights of the individual, as well as the separation of power into branches. Aristotle’s quote about the majority of tyrants being demagogues, and they are capable of nothing more than ruining their own state by too strict laws and constant control, speaks of the rejection of tyranny.