Human Nature According to the

Greek Philosophers

• His father was physician to the king of Macedonia.• When he was 7, he went to study at Plato’s Academy.• Student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. • Aristotle founded the Lyceum, a school of learning based in Athens, Greece.

Aristotle’s dictum of man:

- A material entity which has a potential for life.

– acts as the perfect realization of the body

Body can posses life when it is united with the soul

◙ According to Aristotle man is a single essence composed of:

Aristotle's distinction between MATTER and FORM:

Form = cat

Matter = Fur

• Body and soul are inseparable.

Vegetative

Sensitive

Rational

Functions of Three Souls

Vegetative

It feeds itself

It grows

It reproduces

Rational

Zeno of Citium (344–262 BC)

Chrysippus of Soli (279 - 206 BC)Lucius Annaeus

Seneca (often known simply as Seneca) (ca. 4 BC – 65 AD)

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus

(121–180)Antisthenes (445 BC – 365 BC)

Seven Parts• Five Senses

• Power of Speech

• Power of Production

◘ Emotions are movements againt’s nature.

• Human nature is part of a determined universe.

• Why should man conform himself with nature?

• Why should man be virtous?

• Why should man submit himself to God’s will?

• A Virtous man always strives to possess peace of mind

- God’s ways are not man’s.

Man

Organism

Organs

Vegetative Soul

Vegetative Organism

Sensient Soul

Sensient Organism

Rational Soul

Rational Organism

Issue of Soul