What is real? What gives life meaning? What happens when we die? These
three questions are very common in today’s society. Everyone has different
beliefs and their answers to these world view questions are different. Greek
Philosopher’s, Aristotle and Plato had very different views and answers to
these questions. What is real? Aristotle believed that for something to be real
it had to have a substance and a form or a body and a soul. Our senses are also
reality. Now Plato on the other hand believed that reality is permanent and our
senses can’t be trusted. He also believed immortal things are more real than
the mortal. For example, Greek gods, immortal souls, and universals are more
real than humans, animals, and plants that are considered mortal. What gives
life meaning? According to Aristotle achieving the highest possible potential
with our talents, to reason with our emotions and the “golden mean” which is
everything in moderation gives life meaning. Now Plato believed that education
through a forty-four year program gives life meaning. Plato thought that
everybody’s goal in life is, “We learned but forgot.” What happens when we
die? Aristotle believed nothing happens when we die because to even exist you
have to have a body and a soul. So if you die and your body leaves then you
don’t exist because you don’t have both a body and a soul. Plato believed
that when we die we are recycled. It is kind of like reincarnation but not
quite. When you die you’re reborn but have lost all of your previous knowledge
due to the trauma birth causes. This is where Plato’s goal in life ties in. We
learned but our soul forgot when we are reborn. Plato and Aristotle had
completely different answers to the questions, What is real? What gives life
meaning? and What happens when we die? Some of their answers to these world view
questions may seem bizarre but we all have our own answers and views about many
different things.