Thought experiment: What if YOU gave Aristotle a tutorial?
Posted on February 1st, 2008 by MichaelOxford Professor Richard Dawkins makes the point that because you have “the privilege of living after Newton, Darwin, Einstein, Watson, Crick and their colleagues that you could give Aristotle a tutorial and you could thrill him to the core of his being“.
So, here’s a thought experiment and post your reply below: in less than 100 words, if you could go back in time and give the great Aristotle a tutorial from your current perspective of 2008, what would you reveal to him that would be a real knockout for old Ari?
March 3rd, 2008 at 11:28 am
I would tutor Artistole on how science has evolved for his basic outline of the five elements and what technolgies have evolved from it. I would also describe how his thoughts metaphysics, politics & government have affected our culture in terms of religion, education and social interaction. I would also expose him to some of modern history’s great artists. It would be a very long tutorial…..
March 1st, 2008 at 5:40 am
Id take him under my wing and say ‘Sorry, we still don’t have the answers to why we exist and what happens to our souls when we die, or if there even is a soul, but do you fancy a cup of tea and a Hobnob?’
February 21st, 2008 at 1:30 am
I’d discuss the paradigms of our lives as they relate to his. The use of mass communication and petroleum is abundant, but the sacrifice of these improvements through taxation is just as phenomenal. Speaking of the moon and nanotechnology is fascinating, but without personal knowledge is just as fantastic as speaking of the gods. Explaining public education in comparison with the internet (free boundless knowledge) would be good for a laugh, but since only ~20% of Aristotle’s writings have survived, he may still know more than me.
February 17th, 2008 at 8:46 am
I’d discuss the unbounded, limitless knowledge available to all. Not just the
wealthy or powerful, but anyone…the internet
February 11th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
I will tell him about everything, all advanced discoveries of science in the world now, EVERYTHING!! Specially reaching the space, landing on moon must be unbelievable that time. Also about Nanoworld.
February 10th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
I would give him a tutorial on the incredible educational benefits of the Internet and how it is now possible to get your knowledge, ideas and thinking skills across to billions of people at the touch of a single key.
I’d be interested to see what he’d do with the knowledge. Would he alter the kind of thinking he did if he knew that the audience was so vast? Would he adapt his messages accordingly? Or would he simply take on board the technology and enhance his messages to make them more effective for the masses?
February 10th, 2008 at 10:36 am
The more things change the more things stay the same. A lot has changed but a lot has not. I would rather however be in my time than yours. And you should be getting royalties from Dr Hewitt-Gleeson, I will negotiate them for you and take 10%.
February 10th, 2008 at 7:57 am
Much has changed but much has not changed! Your thoughts and ideas have still much relevance today as in yours. Humans are still striving to be fatser, stronger, better (in most ways) but still have the fallicies that have always existed. What is clear is that most people still want to improve their own comforts and fortunately a healthy number still want to improve life for others!
February 8th, 2008 at 8:07 am
My dear Aristotle, our world as you know has changed immensely since your days here on this planet. Many have followed your inspiration and explored the world of humanity, and yes have expanded upon your ideas of logic and order and found incredible diversity in many areas of science.
We have learned to make great advancements in peoples lives. But regrettably not all of them have been for the betterment of all. Such as the ability to destroy all life on the planet.
There are still thinkers seeking to explore and improve the world for all, and you my friend are still a part of the discussion.
February 8th, 2008 at 7:05 am
Lo and behold, the greatest knowledge you can ever have is the knowledge of self. Know this truth and it shall set you free. You and I are both ideas and in this day and age, having reached a dramatic point in our evolution, we will need a dramatic change or shift in our values to make the leap. We have reached the age of psycho-technology where just an idea could make or break you! You are a spiritual being living a human experience and when, and only when, you realize this truth will you be truly free to manifest reality to your heart’s content.
February 8th, 2008 at 3:38 am
Your thoughts on logic, biology and psychology will keep stimulating profound minds for thousands of years to come. You didn’t always get everything right, but your approach to systematising thinking around science and philosophy now enables us to understand and explain our world in a rational and logical manner.
February 8th, 2008 at 1:45 am
Human needs, aspirations and preferences develop as the world develops materially, intellectually and socially
Objects, ideas, events, etc., are related to one another. The relations vary in time and transmute into a relativity the basic tenet of which is that nothing is important for ever.
There is much more that unites people than that separates them.
The biggest enemy of mankind is man himself.
The Aristotelian logic has its clear-cut limits.
One of the biggest fallacies of man is the belief that big can be bigger and bigger is better.
There are as many secrets in the nanoworld as there are in the megaworld.
(104 words)
February 7th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
I would run a comparison of our cultures, life styles, government workings, knowledge of the universe, and technological advances. I would discuss the striking similarities as well as the divergences.
February 7th, 2008 at 10:22 am
Aristotle, much of human understanding of the natural world has being explained by science.
The moon, 384000 Kilometers above us has been walked on by man. The earth revolves around the sun, part of a galaxy called The Milky Way; itself a mere speck in an ever expanding universe. There is no proof that we human beings share this space with any other intelligent life.
Man has harnessed the power of nature to propel him and his many machines yet our nature has not changed. Regrettably we now have the capability to destroy our selves.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
I think I would discuss with Aristotle the way in which we now can explore our surroundings – travelling to the moon, going down to the depths of the ocean, looking through a microscope at things. I would look at the technology that has been thought of and evolved to allow us to do all of these things - to communicate with people we have never seen, to see places without even going there.