Aristotle vs. Plato: Difference and Comparison

Aristotle was once a student who spent nearly two decades learning and studying under Plato’s tutelage. Stageira, Chalcidice, was the birthplace and childhood home of Aristotle.

Aristotle was born in 384 B.C. on a specified date. Plato was born and raised in the Greek city of Athens.

Plato was born between 424 and 423 BCE and 428 and 427 BCE. Socrates taught Plato, who was one of his students.

Later on, though, he assisted Aristotle in attaining academic achievement.

Key Takeaways

1. Aristotle emphasized empirical observation and practical knowledge, while Plato focused on ideal forms and metaphysical concepts.
2. Plato was Aristotle’s teacher, and their philosophical approaches diverged significantly, with Aristotle rejecting many of Plato’s ideas.
3. Aristotle’s work laid the foundation for modern scientific inquiry, whereas Plato’s contributions influenced Western philosophy and theology more broadly.

Aristotle vs Plato

Aristotle’s empirical and practical theory states that senses are required to determine reality correctly, and one has to choose to act appropriately. Plato’s theory is abstract and utopian, saying that thoughts are superior to senses and virtue can be taught by teaching someone right from wrong.

Aristotle’s theories were based on dividing human reasoning into passive and creative modes. In this case, tolerant rationale refers to the human outer body, which can die. In contrast, creative thinking refers to the part of the human body that lives eternally, namely the spiritual component that moves up to join God.

Aristotle’s thoughts and viewpoints were more individualistic. He placed the most emphasis on individual pleasure, stating it to be the most crucial purpose of humanity and a sort of achievement in creating a model society.

Plato’s theories were founded on the belief that the soul yearns to be free of the human body’s physical form and become formless. Plato was also regarded as a reasonable man.

Plato placed a greater emphasis on society as a whole. It believes in people’s hard work and attempts to attain the goal of creating a model society.

Plato’s important ideas include Platonic realism, Platonic idealism, and the theory of forms. Plato was born and raised in Athens.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Aristotle	Plato
Relationship	Plato’s student	Plato’s student
Birthplace	Stageira, Chalcidice	Athens
Year of Birth	384 Before Christ	424/423 BCE or 428/427 BCE
Emphasized on	Individual happiness	The happiness of the whole society
Notable ideas	Passion, biology, logic, reason and the golden mean	Platonic realism, Platonic idealism and theory of forms.

What is Aristotle?

Aristotle’s thoughts and viewpoints were more individualistic. He placed the most significant emphasis on individual pleasure, claiming it to be the most crucial purpose of humans and a sort of achievement in creating a model society.

Aristotle’s essential ideas are passion, biology, logic, reason, and the golden mean.

Aristotle’s principal concerns were ethics, logic, science, metaphysics, and politics. Stageira, Chalcidice, was Aristotle’s birthplace and childhood home.

Aristotle was born in the year 384 BC (before Christ). Plato, Heraclitus, Socrates, and Parmenides influenced Aristotle.

Aristotle was once a student who spent nearly 20 years learning and studying under the tutelage of Plato.

The theories of Aristotle were based on the fact that human reasoning can be split into two types: passive and creative. In this case, tolerant reasoning refers to the human outer body, which can die. In contrast, creative thinking refers to the part of the human body that lives eternally, namely the spiritual component that ascends to join God. 

What is Plato?

Plato was also thought to be a reasonable man. Plato placed a greater emphasis on the entire society or community.

It believes in people’s hard work and efforts to attain the goal of creating a model society. Platonic realism, idealism, and the theory of forms are only a few of Plato’s essential ideas.

Family militarism, education, politics, morality, justice, literature, art, and rhetoric are the domains on which Plato has defined their interests. Plato was born and raised in the city of Athens.

Plato was born between 424 and 423 BCE and 428 and 427 BCE. Orphism, Heraclitus, Pythagoras, Parmenides, Aesop, Homer, Hesiod, and Socrates influenced Plato.

Plato was one of Socrates’ students who learned from him. Later on, though, he assisted Aristotle in achieving academic achievement.

Plato’s theories were founded on the idea that the soul yearns to be free of the physical form of the human body and to be formless.

Main Differences Between Aristotle and Plato

1. In the past, Aristotle was a student who gained knowledge and studied under the guidance of Plato for nearly 20 years. On the other hand, Plato was one of the students who acquired knowledge from Socrates. However, later on, he guided Aristotle to achieve his academic success.
2. Aristotle’s beliefs were based on the fact that human reasoning is subdivided into passive and creative. , inactive reason comprises the human outer body, which can die, and the imaginative sense, which lives forever; that is, the spiritual part that moves up to join God. On the other hand, Plato’s beliefs were based on the fact that the soul always craves freedom from the physical form of the human body to become formless. Also, Plato was considered a rational man.
3. Aristotle’s viewpoints and perspectives were more of an individualistic nature. He emphasized individual happiness the most by claiming it as a human’s most important function and a type of achievement in building a model society. On the other hand, Plato gave more emphasis on the society or community as a whole. It believes in the hard work and efforts put forward by humans to achieve the motive of building a model society.
4. Some of Aristotle’s notable ideas are passion, biology, logic, reason and the golden mean. On the other hand, some of the notable ideas that Plato put forward are Platonic realism, Platonic idealism and the theory of forms.
5. The areas of the main interests of Aristotle were ethics, logic, science, metaphysics and politics. On the other hand, the areas on which Plato has laid down their interests are family militarism, education, politics, virtue, justice, literature, art and rhetoric.
6. The place where Aristotle was born and brought up was Stageira, Chalcidice. On the other hand, Athens is the place where Plato was born and brought up.
7. The specific date of birth of Aristotle was 384 Before Christ. On the other hand, Plato was born in 424/423 BCE or 428/427 BCE.
8. Plato, Heraclitus, Socrates and Parmenides influenced Aristotle. On the other hand, Plato was influenced by Orphism, Heraclitus, Pythagoras, Parmenides, Aesop, Homer, Hesiod, Socrates, etc.

References

1. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9780203101667/new-essays-plato-aristotle-rle-plato-renford-bambrough
2. https://www.jstor.org/stable/20129216

Last Updated : 31 August, 2023