Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Plato or Aristotle?

"It has been remarked that everyone is born either a Platonist or an Aristotelian. Plato and Aristotle, this is, represent two different attitudes toward the world. Plato was a perfectionist whose inclination, even in discussing the problems of practical politics, was always towards a utopian solution that was impractical precisely because the perfect is never realized in this world. Where Plato was otherwisely and idealistic, Aristotle was practical and empirical.
Plato's bias towards mathematics was symptomatic of his general point of view... ... For Aristitle, in contrast, biology was the leading and, as it were, model science. Just as it is natural in discussing Plato's views to draw example from the field of mathematics, so it is natral in any discussion of Aristotle's views to take examples from biology. In mathematics we are dealing with perfect but lifeless entities; in biology, with imperfect but living ones." W.T. Jones

Are you a Platonist or an Aristotelian?

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Platonic Christianity

WoW9: To get a right relationship with God, get a right relationship with the Church

"Political theory is not merely an adjunct to ethical theory; indeed, for Plato it was almost the other way around, since he believed that the good life is possible only in the good state. Here again Plato is poles apart from the Christian tradition, which, in emphasizing the individual's effort to get into a right relationship with God, has tended to stress solitariness and to regard what sociologists call "interpersonal relations" as a dangerous distraction. Plato, in contrast, held that only in and through these relations can the individual achieve his good." W.T. Jones, The Classical Mind

The author may not be right in assessing the truth about Christianity, but the accusation is certainly valid about its bias. Get a right relationship with your Church, more often than not, it will make for a more healthy relationship with God.

Extremely busy

A joke to share:

Herman and Henrietta were touring their brand-new house, a house that Henrietta had paid for with her money, a fact of which she often reminded Herman. In each room of the house, she said to her husband, "Herman, if it were not for my money, we wouldn’t be here." Herman didn’t say a word.

That afternoon a truck delivered to the house a load of furniture, furniture that Henrietta paid for with her money. After the furniture was in place, the couple toured the house again. As they observed each room, beautifully appointed and magnificently decorated, Henrietta reminded her husband, "Herman, if it were not for my money, this furniture would not be here." Again, Herman was silent.

Late in the afternoon a truck came with a special piece of furniture which was to be the focal point of the den, a combination stereo-television-computer all wrapped into one gorgeous piece of furniture which Henrietta paid for with her money. When it was in place, Henrietta again addressed her husband, "If it were not for my money, that piece of furniture would not be here." Finally, Herman spoke, "Honey, I don’t want to make you feel bad, but if it were not for your money, I wouldn’t be here!"


"Measure wealth not by the things you have, but by the things you have for which you would not take money."