plato vs. aristotle

• comparison of views:

  • Plato = we have a separate body, conjoined with a soul that has lived before and will go on to live again; the soul's real home is the Forms
  • Aristotle = the self is what animates you; you are body and soul together, a living, breathing, thinking being; living is what makes you a human being
• both views have been hugely influential:

  • Plato = dominated traditional western religion
  • Aristotle = closer to the medical aspect