Tarnas, R. (1991). The passion of the western mind: Understanding the ideas that have shaped our world view. New York: Ballantine Books.

While Plato deferred to the “transcendent and immaterial,” Aristotle held observable and natural reality to be the basis of true reality: “For Plato, the particular was less real, a derivative of the universal; for Aristotle, the universal was less real, a derivative of the particular” (p. 57). Aristotle believed that entities were driven to develop into the full expression of their forms, to move from imperfection to perfection. While Plato recognized “being,” Aristotle recognized “becoming.” He therefore acknowledged the role of observation through the recognition of change.

It is at this point that scientific observation becomes truly engrained in Western thought. Aristotle is not only recognized by the early Church, but is also credited with the advent of science.

Establishing systematic rules for the proper employment of logic and language, Aristotle built on principles already worked out by Socrates and Plato, but brought new clarity, coherence, and innovations of his own. Deduction and induction, the syllogism, the analysis of causation into materials, efficient, formal, and final causes, basic distinctions such as subject-predicate, genus-species-individual, essential-accidental, matter-form, potential-actual, universal-particular, quantity, quality, relation, place, time, position, state, action, and affection: all were defined by Aristotle and established thereafter as indispensable instruments of analysis for the Western mind.  (p. 60)

For Aristotle, the universe was logical and systematic. This, he explained, was the result of a “supreme Form” which was perfect, eternal, and beyond matter. This pure Form or pure Mind was God. “But of all living things, man alone shares in God’s nature, by virtue of his possessing intelligence” (p. 63). Hence, it is possible to understand why St. Augustine so appreciated the work of Aristotle.

Notes:

Aristotle – empirical, God, this world, the tangible

Plato – transcendent archetype, supreme good, divine intelligence