Thesis: Plato and Aristotle had differing political views. Essentially, Plato acknowledges that the ideal government which is set up as well as run by a philosopher king while Aristotle asserts that the population should be able to rule themselves where every man acts best and is able to live happily. Their dissenting views establish themselves in their view of human nature, epistemology, natural philosophy, human history as well as human behavior.
Epistemology
On the subject of epistemology, Plato believes that there exists an abstract notion regarding the world of the form where abstract concepts such as justice, beauty, and other concepts are found. We then catch a glimpse of these various forms and try to emulate them imperfectly. However, Aristotle is of the view that a perfect form of man must exist whom we can model every other person from.
Human nature and behavior
Additionally, regarding human nature and human behavior as they relate to politics, the two philosophers had very different views. Aristotle viewed the mind as the primary reason for the functioning and existence of the body while Plato suggested that the human psyche was where all knowledge was established.
Natural philosophy and human history
By examining natural philosophy, Aristotle claims that every state is natural after examining the essential human relationships in the simplest form of their existence. Plato, on the other hand, concludes that no person in the world can be self-sufficient and thus the ideal political state can only be achieved when each person does what he is naturally suited for. The two philosophers also had dissenting views on nature as it relates to state.
Conclusively, the two philosophers differed on many levels and approached ideas in different mannerisms. These differences are established in their way of thinking in regard to their theoretical approaches to life in general. Additionally, this made them come up with different notions of a political system that was effective.
