Fun Facts

Aristotle vs. Rene Descartes

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Aristotle

Rene Descartes

Scene—“The Pub” after a Zack Brown Band concert

Rene: Come Aristotle; join me with a Lager at this fine establishment, to celebrate a wonderful evening, enjoying great music, and fine people. Let me buy the first round and tell you about my thoughts last night. Last night, as I let my mind float away before a deep sleep, I meditated about the free rein of man’s mind, and how the music of the band stated it clearly.

Aristotle: What particular part of the music made you feel this way?

Rene: With the lyrics, “Just as free, free as will ever be, you and me.” These lyrics compel me to the belief that God created within me a strong basis for believing that I am created in his image, and am free to recognize through faith, that I will become a better, happier man.

Aristotle: Rene, you say it is through faith that a person can become a better and happier man, yet I object to this thought. My reasoning is through the question of how happiness is acquired. Happiness is some kind of activity of the soul in conformity with virtue (Aristotle 173). Virtue has many prerequisites, which lead to happiness, the end and all defining of how great man can be.

Rene: You speak of virtue like it is learned in man, yet let me convince you about the God given virtues of knowledge and will. I cannot complain that the will or freedom of choice which I received from God is not sufficiently extensive or perfect, since I know by experience that it is not restricted in any way (Rene Descartes 401).

Yet the will I received from God gives me the ability to decide on crucial matters in everyday life. This knowledge forecasts my position in the universal scheme of things.

Aristotle: Yes knowledge helps man with the ability of thinking, yet when I speak of virtues, I don’t speak of having virtues partly for themselves. Virtues, such as the intellectual virtue of knowledge, could be attained even if...