ARISTOTLE - INFLUENCES

<BODY> <CENTER><FONT SIZE=5><B><FONT SIZE=6>ARISTOTLE</FONT><BR> THE REALIST</B></FONT></CENTER><P> <FONT SIZE=4><B>Influences</B></FONT><P> Aristotle's rejection of <A HREF="../04/04f01.html" TARGET="_top">Plato's</A> understanding of forms split the realm of philosophical discussion into two opposing schools - the <A HREF="../t03/g030.html" TARGET="_top">materialists</A> and the <A HREF="../t03/g024.html" TARGET="_top">idealists</A>.<P> <TABLE ALIGN=Left BORDER=0 CELLSPACING=2 CELLPADDING=1> <TR> <TD><IMG ALIGN=Left SRC="0505a.jpg" WIDTH="132" HEIGHT="220" ALT="PLATO and ARISTOTLE"></TD> </TR> </TABLE> Raphael's great frescoe in the Vatican presents a visual image of the various schools of philosophy. The central figures are Plato and Aristotle, whom Raphael says, "agree in substance while they disagree in words." The book Plato holds in his hand is his "Timaeus". He points skywards to indicate his idealistic world view. Aristotle carries his "Ethics". His earthward gesture indicates his greater concern with the real world.<P> The entire frescoe reflects the intellectual atmosphere of the Renaissance and the enthusiasm with which scholars of the time debated philosophy.<BR clear=left><BR> As Europe slipped into the Dark Ages, much of the Greco-Roman learning was maintained by scholars in the Islamic world. Aristotelianism was in fact maintained in the East and reintroduced to Christian West from this source when the two religions clashed in the Crusades. The writings of the pagan Aristotle proved not only adaptable, but inspirational, to both Muslim and Christian scholars. While the illiterate masses were reciting catechisms and creeds, being fed dogma, church scholars were approaching the broader issues of doctrine and they were using the Greek philosophers to do so.<P> <FONT SIZE=4><B>IBN SINA AND IBN RUSCHD</B></FONT><BR> Two names emerge as important in the transmission of Aristotle's work from his own time through to modern day - <A HREF="../t06/t06f04.html" TARGET="_top">Ibn Sina</A> and <A HREF="../t06/t06f03.html" TARGET="_top">Ibn Ruschd</A>. Ibn Sina shared Aristotle's interest in medicine, and his Canon of Medicine became the basis of medical teaching in medieval universities. His philosophic encyclopaedia was also influential. Ibn Ruschd was styled the "commentator" by <A HREF="../t06/t06f02.html" TARGET="_top">Thomas Aquinas</A>, who used his 38 treatises on Aristotle to reinterpret church doctrine. <BR clear=left><BR> <HR width=100%> <A HREF="http://www.creatorix.com.au"><IMG SRC="../creatorix.gif" WIDTH="85" HEIGHT="40" BORDER="0" ALT="Creatorix" align=right></A> </BODY>