If Aristotle was to visit our modern civilization for a day, the best advice for him would be to make sure he purchased a round trip ticket from the Boatman. So Aristotle walks into a public middle school in an urban area and cries; then he drives out to a school in a more affluent area and he’s disgusted by what he becomes disgusted at the differences between the two environments.
Lyceum was a school of philosophy in Ancient Greece which was founded by Aristotle. It was an informal institution whose members conducted philosophical and scientific inquiries. Aristotle’s successors Theophrastus and Strato continued the tradition of exploring philosophical and scientific theories, but after the middle of the third century BC, the school fell into decline and it was not until the Roman Era that there was a revival. Later members of the school concentrated on preserving and commentating on Aristotle’s works rather than extending them, and the school eventually died out in the third century AD.
The parents, who could afford it, sent their children to school and paid a monthly fee. Most parents could not afford to do so and thus the great mass of children began to work at an early age rather than attend school. The Greeks developed a more organized system of education (about 500 BC). As far as history knows, was the world’s first systematic approach to education. Few girls attended school, although some were taught at home. There were some exceptions. Sappho appears to have a run a school for girls. Plato and Aristotle founded and started the first advanced schools, the ancestors of modern universities; and this was around fourth century BC.
In today’s societies, especially here in the United States, parents have several different options. They can send their children to public school, which is paid for with tax dollars that the government collects from the country’s citizens. There is also the option of private school which is available to those that can afford it; or even home schooling, where the children are taught at home.
Aristotle finds these many diverse options of education appalling and almost has a nervous breakdown because this was not how he had operated his school in Lyceum. Aristotle is upset to see the kindergarten to twelve grade system is a far cry from Lyceum; children are shuffled forward through school without regard to whether or they have earned the grade or not. Aristotle is proud of the progress that has been made in biology, physics and mathematics until he discovered that the knowledge was taken to create the Atom Bomb which was used to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan during World War Two by the United States.
Aristotle is horrified to discover that an individual can be a college graduate without ever having to take a class in morals, ethics or even psychology. He discovers that most of these traits are learned the human experience of trial and error. Aristotle argued that since different people may act differently in the same situation there are inherently bad actions. Virtue is defined as behavior showing high moral standards. The Virtue Theory claims that an action is good if performed by a person based on virtue and bad if performed based on vice. This enforces the thesis that virtue is a disposition because a virtuous person will theoretically make their right choice in any situation. Aristotle concludes that it is possible to be bad in many ways and only one way to be good. He says that the trick is finding this balance in relation to yourself. Aristotle wants us to choose the lesser of two evils when you don’t know what the right way is. In order to be virtuous you must act virtuously, you become more good as you do more good. Aristotle states that being good requires practice and you get better it, actions make you good.
When Aristotle visits and views the Adult Society; he is completely appalled and disgusted to see how adults act in America. Aristotle finds that reality television hardly illuminating example of human behavior with the worse human examples being on the shows Here Comes Honey Boo Boo and Duck Dynasty. Aristotle preached what is good for the individual is in turn good for the society as whole. Some examples that Aristotle gives as to what he thinks people to view as the greatest good, or end, are wealth, pleasure, honor, virtue, and health. The most vulgar, which are also what many people see as the greatest good, is wealth. Aristotle quotes, “Madness is badness of spirit, when one seeks profit from all sources.” Most philosophers would agree that money is the root of all evil and greed is the driving force behind America’s need for greed. Americans enjoy being wealth and attempt to gain as much wealth as they possibly can without regard to others.
Aristotle is dismayed to see that America has perfected guns and has produced the world’s worst killing machine: an AK-57. He would be disturbed to see that wars have not stopped but that Americans have gotten more efficient at killing, weapons exist that can destroy whole nations at once. Aristotle would have discovered that the United States’ idea of Democracy is quite different than what his ideals were. America’s democracy or form of government involves electing officials to represent a particular population.
Aristotle believed the government should promote the welfare of its citizens, recommending that the government should provide the poor with financial means to purchase small farms or to start small business. He rejected monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy. He viewed the establishment of governments as being both essential for civilized life and a fundamental characteristic of mankind.
Aristotle is delighted to find his work in psychology is responsible for the framework of several specialties of psychology which include: cognitive behavioral therapy, self—determination, positive therapy and aspects of Socratic Method has been proven. The Socratic Method is a form of inquiry and discussion between individuals, based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and to illuminate ideas. It is a dialectical method, often involving a discussion in which the defense of point of view is questioned; one participant may lead another to contradict himself in some way, thus strengthening the inquirer’s own point. Aristotle’s psychology, given in his treatise On the Soul presents three kinds of soul; the vegetative soul, the sensitive soul, and the rational soul. Humans have a rational soul. This kind of soul is capable of the same powers as other kinds. Like the vegetative soul it can grow and nourish itself; like the sensitive souls it can experience sensations and move locally. The unique part of the human, rational soul is its ability to receive forms of other things and compare them.
Aristotle is proud to see his scientific advances still being developed and used. However, he is deeply saddened by our lack of virtues. He believes we really don’t need to be this way, but we have to be willing to “see” to change anything. The atrocities that have been produced by our misuse of knowledge are unforgivable. He hopes we can, because he see still sees goodness in people. Aristotle does not think we are beyond hope. He left us his teachings in plain sight and they are accessible to all what we do with them is up to us. Aristotle wishes us well but he is tired from this visit and is going back to his home in the Elysian Fields of Ancient Greece.
