The Problem with Aristotle and Plato
From Aristotle we get the difference between philosophy and science. Before Aristotle, philosophy is metaphysics, then philosophy becomes burdened with the problem of realization. Aristotle presents explanations of natural phenomena which are wrong but the beginning of epistemology.
Ludwig Wittgenstein excoriated philosophy for its metaphysical paradoxes and enumerated several purposes for philosophy: to clarify the meaning of expressions and propositions, to remove obstacles to understanding, and to induce the recognition of the real significance of someone's words and acts.
Why does Aristotle have so much credibility? Aristotle posited the aim of life is happiness to be acquired by practical reason. Practical reason supposedly gives coherence and reduces conflict by harmonizing the desires. Motivation to right action is given by practical reason when it applies the virtues of character to particular actions and desires.
The problem is however the relation of theoretical reason, correct thinking, to the activities of being a citizen (worker) which are regulated by practical reason’s virtues. Theoretical reason or doing science is considered by Aristotle to be the most excellent form of life. But Aristotle gives no coherent account of the relation between doing science and philosophy, and being a good citizen, father, worker!
The problem that emerged from Aristotle's aporia between practical reason and theoretical reason was that the creative genius or creativity did not blend with morality or conventional social relations.
Plato earlier saw this problem and solved it by banishing all art from the Republic. The Republic was a state designed as an institutionalization of morality. Plato saw that the creative artist, he famously singled out the poets for their lyrics (who today could disagree - oh no, there's smoke in my eyes! and school just let out!! that's Frank Sinatra and Alice Cooper), had effects on the public that resisted stability made by the fully moralized society!
Plato's aporia was between a society protected against moral and social change, and a society in which free creation and exploration through art is permitted. Plato did make the central activity of his ruling class, creative intellectual activity which Aristotle followed. But, Plato meant by creative activity the discovery of the apriori moral truths waiting to be discovered.
The main problem was between the institutionalized morality and the creative intellectual activity of natural science - how could the activity of science coexist with the degree of social restriction and illiberalism which characterized his moralized society?
One key distinction between Plato and Aristotle which needs to be mentioned was their diferent understanding of "Ideas." The ideas for Plato were the forms or patterns of thinking. Ideas for Aristotle were the concepts of the understanding which classified all phenomena which humans experienced. Aristotle asserted that the important issue about thinking or metaphysics was the appropriate classification of perceptions. Aristotle was closer to being an empirical realist like Aquinas and Kant, whereas Plato was an idealist whose ideas or forms were transcendental and never actually experienced.
