Self
- Affects (affectivity, emotions)
- Own (property)
- Perceptions
- Knowledge
- Centre (ego, “I”)
Aristotle’s Thesis:
There is no modern sense of self; rather there is a soul that perceives, thinks, and nourishes.
[the soul must be in common, public, and justified]
Background to Aristotle (384 – 322 BCE)
- Macedonia
- Tutor of Alexander the Great
- Life separated into three phases:
- Travels with Alexander
- Return to Athens which he encounters Plato → style of philosophy changed
- Flees Athens
Aristotle’s Method
- Begins with general definitions
- Asks two fundamental questions
- That something is? (Does it exist?)
- What it is? (What is it?)
- Detailed responses
- Give the argument/content
- Prove it – evidence
- Consider counter-evidence
- Articulates a clearer position [sometimes]
Aristotle’s Arguments
- Soul – the principle which causes movement
- Principle
- Movement – life is a movement
- Humans are a combinations of body (matter) and soul (form) > soul actualises body (matter)
- Essence – what makes you, you.
- Self Nutrition and Reproductions
-autonomic biological systems = life = begins/generates & corrupts (dies) - Perception
-5 senses – you perceive atoms which causes your eyes, ears, nose, etc… to take –form of what you believe you are perceiving
-selects focus
-helps discriminate - Thinking
-reason and logic, attention, knowing and understanding - Desire
-body and soul are “in love” - Practical Reason
-discriminate
-choose
