National History Day Topic Selection: Aristotle

Kris Pearce
Brasof 1 / Thompson 3
November 12, 2008

National History Day

History today is constantly being made, no matter where someone is. People in general change everyday and do not realize it. There are many people who don't take the time to wonder why they are put on this earth, or why they are walking in the shoes they are in today. Philosophy is a huge part of history, for it is history in itself; however, philosophy digs a bit deeper and challenges history. Over the thousands of years, many philosophers have been studying the world, wondering of their existence, of what is real and what is not, and studying the human mind along with behavior.
The word philosophy is of the Ancient Greek origin, and it means "love of knowledge and wisdom". Philosophy is something that has always held my interest, however the philosopher that appealed to me most was Aristotle.
Aristotle was born in Stageira, Chalcidice in 384 BC. His father was a physician to the kind of Mecadonia and when Aristotle was seven, he was sent to study at the academy. He there began as a student, only to move on to a researcher and then a teacher. He was a member of the aristocracy, which is a form of government. Aristocrats often saw themselves as the highest of society and that no other government was above them.
Aristotle’s personality could best be described as very complex. He believed everything had souls and everything was living; however some had more primitive souls. He believed plans had souls but only in the nutritive faculty.
Aristotle believes in imagination and says that imagination is a bridge between sense perception and intellect. However, he doesn’t relate imagination to memory because he feels imagination requires perception as a foundation and can lead to understanding; in turn, according to Aristotle, imagination can’t be reduced to any combination of “perception, belief, knowledge and intellect.”
He believes intellect is something only humans have and that other creatures lack. Aristotle believes that there are two kinds of intellect which are passive and active. Passive is intellect that a person has prior to experience and active intellect is intellect that someone gains after something happens.
One of Aristotle’s most famous quotes was that “For it was their curiosity that first led men to philosophize and that still leads them.” By saying this, he means that the curiosity for knowledge is the essence of philosophy and believes that all philosophers try to overcome ignorance and obtain knowledge to use it for good.
Aristotle believes that everything harvests a body, such as tables and other miscellaneous objects. He calls inanimate objects artificial and real bodies natural. He believes both of them have the ability to be moved. He believes that bodies are separate from the physical world.
In 335 BC, Aristotle traveled to Athens to start teaching his students. He was a student of Plato who died a few years earlier and he wanted to teach people everything he learned from Plato and things that he came up with himself. He lectured people on logic, physics, astronomy, zoology, metaphysics, theology, economics, meterology, ethics, rhetoric and poetics.
Not everything he taught was written by him and a lot of it was later rewritten by his followers. Aristotle spent thirteen years as a teacher and decided to write. He wrote mainly about logic, which consisted of the classification of notions, judgments and propositions, the syllogism, demonstration, the problematic syllogism and fallacies. He had logical treatises which was called the “Organon” which was the first systematic treatment of the laws of thought in relation to the knowledge.
The four causes were also derived from Aristotle’s doctrines, which falls under metaphysics. The material cause, the formal cause, the efficient cause, or the final cause which are still used today. Metaphysics is the science of being as a being which he discovered.
His practical philosophy was something he was exceptionally known for. It all started with one question: In what does happiness consist? Aristotle dared to question such things and had other people try to answer it and learn from it.
Aristotle has also written many books. He wrote books on Physical treatises, which were Physica, Physica Ausculatio, De Cocelo, and Meteorologica. He’s written books on biological and zoological treatises, which are “Historiae Animalium, De Generatione et Corruptione, De Generation Animalium and De Partibus Animalium. He’s written books on psychological and anthropological treatises, which are De Anima, De Sensu et Sensibilli, De Memoria et Reminiscentia, De Vita et Morte, De Longitudine and et Brevitate vitae. He’s written books on ethical and political treatises which is Ethica Nocomachea, and Politica. He’s also written books on poetical and rhetorical treatises which are De Poetica and De Rhetorica. Aristotle wrote everything in a different language and usually used either Syriac, Arabic or Latin to publish his works
Aristotle is important to history because he encouraged others to think with their own minds. One of his famous quotes was, “We must not listen to those who urge us to think human thoughts since we are human, and mortal thoughts since we are mortal; rather, we should as far as possible immortalize ourselves and do all we can to live by the finest element in us – for it Is small in bulk, it is far greater than anything else in power and worth.”
His ideas are still used today and when most people think of philosophy, they think of Aristotle and his works. All of his teachings came from him and in the beginning they were just considered “myths”, however other people would listen to him and start to believe his “myths” because they made sense. Aristotle has proven that if you have an idea, you can definitely put it to work.

Reflection on the Election

I felt like this was an amazing election. Not only did the first African American win the presidency, but he won it by a landslide. It was clear to everyone who had won and who America really wanted as their president. It was also different for the republicans because it was the first time there was a woman in the vice presidential spot--even though most of us can't stand her; including myself. I believe that by electing Barack Obama, we have reestablished the hope that has been lost during these 8 years. I'm grateful to have been alive to witness his election and to follow his campaign. He has also beaten the odds and have shown everyone that if there's a will, there's a way.

I am almost certain that the Obama administration will aid the United States into recovery and that though it will be hard at first, it will be worth it. America definitely isn't going to be the same--but I'm sure it'll be ten times better.

Imagine always believing everything that you're told. What kind of world would it be if everyone believed every single thing they were told and listened to everything they were told to do? What if people were promised a democracy but were told that in turn, they would have to fulfill a few goals in order for this democracy to be established; only to have it blow up in their faces after they've worked so hard at achieving this. Animal Farm is a perfect example of a democracy gone wrong, where the dictators play their cards right and the other animals fail miserably at achieving happiness. In Animal Farm, the way character's respond to the stories has a strong connection on their ability to survive. First off, there's Squealer who's Napolean's right-hand man and he has a knack for twisting stories up; making the other animals seem crazy. For example, the 7 commandments were written, one being that "no animal shall sleep in a bed." Eventually, the pigs started sleeping in the beds in the farmhouses and the other animals found out about it and questioned it. Squealer happened to overhear and said, "you have heard now comrades, that we pigs sleep in the beds in the farmhouse..." He further went on to argue that a bed was a bed, no matter what, and that the real commandment was that "no animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets." In spite of that, he also tricked up the animals when the milk and apples went missing. Napolean was found eating them and Squealer explained that the pigs didn't even like milk and apples; they were just eating them to benefit the animals because it was good for their health. In the end, Squealer ended up living and kept his position as Napolean's right-hand man. Next, we have Benjamin who doesn't like to get involved in anything. He doesn't like to speak his mind much because he doesn't believe everything he is told and he questions everything that happens. He doesn't get too enthustiastic about anything either. For example, when the windmills were rebuilt, it was said that "Only old Benjamin refused to grow enthustiastic about the windmill, though, as usual, he would utter cryptic remarks that donkeys live a long time." Then, Benjamin questions Boxer's death. Since Benjamin is really the only literate one on the farm, he can read mostly anything. Boxer was taken away to the slaughter house and Benjamin didn't believe Squealer's lies when he said that Boxer died in the hospital, because Benjamin could read the side of the truck. In the end, Benjamin ended up living because he knew better than to open up his mouth and challenge the pigs. Lastly, we have gullible Boxer, who believes everything he is told. Boxer works extra hard on the farm and two of his mottos are, "I will work harder" and "Napolean is always right!" A few animals were killed on the farm and Boxer felt it was a bit wrong, but with a little reassuring from Squealer that they deserved it, Boxer soon believed him and called it a victory. The way Boxer was so easily persuaded and uneducated determined his fate, which was death in the end. The story Animal Farm is a perfect example of if people lack education, they get screwed in the ending. Squealer was pretty smart because he knew how to persuade people; Benjamin knew how to read but knew better enough to keep his mouth shut, and Boxer was oblivious to everything, and in the end, him and many others ended up dying. It's a perfect example of not being educated enough to see through the lies that you're being told.

5 Paragraph Rough Draft for Animal Farm

Imagine always believing everything that you're told. What kind of world would it be if everyone believed every single thing they were told and listened to everything they were told to do? What if people were promised a democracy but were told that in turn, they would have to fulfill a few goals in order for this democracy to be established; only to have it blow up in their faces after they've worked so hard at achieving this. Animal Farm is a perfect example of a democracy gone wrong, where the dictators play their cards right and the other animals fail miserably at achieving happiness. In Animal Farm, the way character's respond to the stories has a strong connection on their ability to survive.
First off, there's Squealer who's Napolean's right-hand man and he has a knack for twisting stories up; making the other animals seem crazy. For example, the 7 commandments were written, one being that "no animal shall sleep in a bed." Eventually, the pigs started sleeping in the beds in the farmhouses and the other animals found out about it and questioned it. Squealer happened to overhear and said, "you have heard now comrades, that we pigs sleep in the beds in the farmhouse..." He further went on to argue that a bed was a bed, no matter what, and that the real commandment was that "no animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets." In spite of that, he also tricked up the animals when the milk and apples went missing. Napolean was found eating them and Squealer explained that the pigs didn't even like milk and apples; they were just eating them to benefit the animals because it was good for their health. In the end, Squealer ended up living and kept his position as Napolean's right-hand man.
Next, we have Benjamin who doesn't like to get involved in anything. He doesn't like to speak his mind much because he doesn't believe everything he is told and he questions everything that happens. He doesn't get too enthustiastic about anything either. For example, when the windmills were rebuilt, Benjamin said "windmill or no windmill, that's not going to help the farm". Then, Benjamin questions Boxer's death. Since Benjamin is really the only literate one on the farm, he can read mostly anything. Boxer was taken away to the slaughter house and Benjamin didn't believe Squealer's lies when he said that Boxer died in the hospital, because Benjamin could read the side of the truck. In the end, Benjamin ended up living because he knew better than to open up his mouth and challenge the pigs.
Lastly, we have gullible Boxer, who believes everything he is told. Boxer works extra hard on the farm and two of his mottos are, "I will work harder" and "Napolean is always right!" A few animals were killed on the farm and Boxer felt it was a bit wrong, but with a little reassuring from Squealer that they deserved it, Boxer soon believed him and called it a victory. The way Boxer was so easily persuaded and uneducated determined his fate, which was death in the end.
The story Animal Farm is a perfect example of if people lack education, they get screwed in the ending. Squealer was pretty smart because he knew how to persuade people; Benjamin knew how to read but knew better enough to keep his mouth shut, and Boxer was oblivious to everything, and in the end, him and many others ended up dying. It's a perfect example of not being educated enough to see through the lies that you're being told.