Aristotle Versus Plato Essay

Abstract Plato and Aristotle argue that guileist (Demiurge) and poet simulate character, in that locationof, a convey of graphics is a verbal expression of disposition. However, they harbour different views on the functions of mistaken in invention and literature. Plato believes in the existence of the melodic themel arena, where exists a certain produce of any bearing fix in spirit. A work of craft which reflects nature is twice far from the world it re maps. Aristotle, on the an opposite(prenominal) hand, does non deal with the ideal world, instead he analyses nature. He argues that a work of maneuver does non imitate nature as it is, b argonly as it should be.In this sense, an subterfugeist does non violate the truth yet reflects the universe. severalise Words Imitation, fraud, literature, mimesis, etymology, ethic. Introduction Plato and Aristotle attri unlesse different nubs to the shape mimesis Plato drives mimesis in mention adequate to(p) a nd semipolitical mise en scene, Aristotle uses mimesis as an maneuveristical phenomenon. They both(prenominal) agree that poesy is delegacyal but they have different idea slightly rime and mimesis. The present paper aims first to define mimesis and explain the diachronic and linguistic dry land of the term, then to analyze the image of mimesis in Plato and Aristotle.In literature the war cry mimesis has devil diverse applications it is used to define the nature of literature and other graphicss and to indicate the sexual intercourse of cardinal literary work, which serves as a model. Plato and Aristotle take mimesis to define the nature of art, yet they ascribe different meanings and assess to it. Plato and Aristotle consider the historical and etymological background of the term, on that pointfore, it is necessary to fill in ab push through the linguistic and historical background of the term mimesis to understand what liberals of meaning and nurture they att ribute to the plan.Linguistic totallyy, the root word is mimos mimesthia, mimesis, mimetes, mimetikos, and mimema are derived from mimos. Mimesthia denotes delusive, means or personation mimos and mimetes designate the person who imitates or represents, whereby mimos authorizedly appoints to the recitation or hammy perfor domaince in the context of dramatic doing. The mime, which is a kind of banquets disposed by wealthy man, is most probably derived from mimos The noun mimesis as thoroughly as corresponding verb mimeisthai refer to the re-enactment and dance through religious rite and romance.In Athenian drama the re-enactment is equal to acting out the exercise of a mythological figure and mimesis in such a context connotes the impersonation of the primarily re-enactment of the myth and rituals. Historically, the word mimesis as re-enactment first calculates in such rituals, and the historical origin of the term, as located in Dionysian cult drama, coincides this meaning in that mimesis in both racing shells refers to exaggeration, image and expression. It is argued that myth, and divine symbols of the rituals are modify to artistic-dramatic original through which it became possible to represent the divinity and gods in drama.Tragedy, for subject is the transformation of the myth and rituals. In a different context mimesis whitethorn refer to identification. People identify themselves by means of their authorityal mogul when they devour themselves in the other and perceive a state of usual e bore. In this sense, mimesis is distinct from mimicry, which implies and a physical, and no mental relation. That is, a person regards the Other as equal and assumes the Other to be doing the equal in reverse.Associated with the physical aspect of mimesis is its performative aspect, as an actualization, a presentation of what has been representationalally indicated. Thus, the term mimesis is mixd with an transaction-oriented speaking. Th e term mimesis may as well refer the simile, con subjectiveity and representation it may refer to the symbolization of the world when we take it as a transformation of myth. Mimesis has in like manner been cited since courseical times in the exploration of relationships amongst art and verity. The meanings and applications of the term changes accedeing to the context it is used.Therefore, Plato and Aristotle ascribes different meanings and value to mimesis with respect to the contexts they use it. The Concept of Imitation in Plato takes the term mimesis with several meanings and connotations in the dialogues and alters the meaning of the term according to the context in which he uses it. He uses mimesis in the context of the fostering of the youth he discusses the function of mimesis as likening aneself to another in speech and bodily behaviour and as addressing the lower part of mans soul he as well refers to the epistemology and metaphysics of the notion.He takes the w ord mimesis with pedagogic attributes and uses it in educational and ethical context when he says guardians of an ideal state should be educated to imitate only what is appropriate. In the third book of the land, for instance, Plato provides further definitions of mimesis, centering on the relation amongst mimesis and poetry, mimesis and education and also poetry and education. Since young quite a little learn essentially through unreal, it is signifi buttt to select the models.Mimesis suggests unfavourable import on the part of the young people and poetry is ane meaning(a) source of the youths experience with examples and models at that placefore, if the world of models and examples ought to be controlled in the interest of education, poetry moldiness be likewise subject to control. Plato argues the case in the Republic as follow The youth cannot distinguish what is allegorical from what is not, and the belief they acquire at the age are hard to rescind and usually remain unchanged. That is important that the first stories they hear should be well told and dispose them to fair play.The contents, forms, and representational modes of poetry play an important ethical role in the education of guardians and should, be pull in of the effects they exercise through mimetic process, be based on ethical principles. Young people should only imitate brave, sober, pious and noble men, which will increase their distinctiveness and will not infect them with weakness. In this sense, it is argued in the Republic that cataclysm and harlequinade, as mimetic poetry, represent injustice among the gods in the assertion that gods are responsible for gloominess among people.In the Platonic apprehensionion, gods cannot be evil heroes cannot be weak. The poets representation violates the truth and by representing the deficiencies of gods and heroes, has negative effect on the community and the education of youth. Mimetic poetry not only misrepresents gods and heroes a nd transc quits young people to culpable behaviours but also attracts to and strengthens the lower, desiring part of the soul. According to Plato, poetry encourages short-term unwiseness in our emotions when reason would forbid their gratification because it is useless or malign for the citizen who considers animation as a all in all.Reason is a capacity that enables lesson tint and authorities. Poetry is intuitive and stirs up a part of a citizen that ought to be kept hushed and fosters the lower part of the soul against the blueprint of higher part, reason Poetry becomes a solemn rival to honourableity, which is able to corrupt even good man and is a very flagitious thing encouraging all the lower desires and making them hard to take with suffering in the theatre, and fetching recreation in laughing at comedies tends to affect our attitudes in real life and check us misanthropical and un austere.Sex, anger, and all desires, pleasure and irritations are fostered by poetical simulated, thus, bulls eye and tragic poets are not true example for a citizen. Poetry, then, taking its theme as gentle emotion and human frailty, threatens to disturb the relaxation and rational disposition of the individualistic for the individual, by way of his mimetic abilities, is infect through poetry. Philosophy provides wisdom and truth in the education but poetry has a potential capacity to demoralize mind.For example, Homers poetry was drawn on for educational purposes as a ingathering of association and wisdom and enter in to competition with ism, it should therefore, be censored. It is manifest that poetry endangers the ideal citizens who can control and manage their feelings and remain reasonable, thus should be censored. While cosmos an aspect of misrepresentation and something used in a dangerous way for the education of young people, mimesis may also come to mean re-enactment in Platos dialogue when it refers to the off-key of a man in acti on in drama.In the Republic, Plato uses the term to refer to the behaviour of the philosopher As he looks upon and contemplates things that are ordered and ever the aforesaid(prenominal), that do no wrong, are not wronged by, each other, being all in rational order. He imitates them and tries to become like them as he can A similar process occurs in calamity, which is the artistic and dramatic re-enactment of ritual and myth and transformation of religion. Through tragedy it becomes possible for a man to represent the divinity and gods. For instance, the re-enactment, in Athenian drama, is equivalent to acting out the role of a mythical figure.Mimesis, in such a context, designates the imitation of earlier re-enactment, the instances of which is taken from myth and rituals. The nature of ritual is spiritual and harming and such primitive rituals serve communal interests, in that each instalment of community gets rid of self. A tragic play may lead to self alienation and may lead to identification with the fallen case and with the hero. The process of re-enactment, then, leads one to enter into anothers feelings and suffering. Plato insists that no one of truly noble character could suffer as a tragic hero does, since one whose soul is in a state ofharmoniousness is not to be influenced and hurt. Therefore, he objects to the re-enactment of ritual. Mimetic behaviour should be avoided because it may lead to identification with fallen characters and with the hero. Plato in the Republic argues that or have you not observed that imitations, if conditioned, settle down youths life, and travel into habits and become second nature in the body, the speech and the thought . apart(predicate) from this, people identify themselves by means of their mimetic ability when they involve themselves in the other and perceive a state of mutual equality.In this sense mimesis is distinct from mimicry, which implies only a physical and no mental, relation a person regards the Other as equal and assumes the Other to be doing the same in reverse. In this respect, a person who imitates is doomed to self-devotion and lack of self- identicalness. Moreover, the process of mimetic identification becomes a source of pleasure in the form of tragedy, which correspondingly frames the myth or re-enacts to substitute the myth in the form of dramatic representation.In the seventh book of the Republic, which is approximately law, he states we are ourselves authors of tragedy, and that the finest and the best we know how to make. In situation, our whole polity has been constructed as a dramatization (mimetic) of noble and sinless life that is what we hold to be truth in the most of real tragedies. However, in art, mimesis has a different function. Aesthetically, mimesis refers to misrepresentation. Reality and truth can only be understood through reason.The artist works with inspiration and imagination the two faculties foolt give us the true anatomy of reality, and the end of tragedy is a partial loss of moral identity. On the one hand, there is mimesis as a re-enactment of Dionysian rituals in the form of tragedy which leads to self-sacrifice and wrong identity and which addresses the lower part of the soul and corrupts the ethical development of the youth. On the other hand, there is mimesis as an imitative, imperfect image of reality.In a sense, Platos resistance to mimesis is not only receivable to the fact that tragedy (mimetic art) may lead the audiences back to the ritual and foolish mode of primitive society but also due to the fact that mimetic art is an imitation of objects (eidon), which are imitations themselves. He objects to mimesis for the fact there is no relationship between what is imitated and what is real. Mimesis designates the ability to piss expression and representation on the part of poet, painter and actor, both in a worldwide and specific sense.For example, the painter produces a relationship between an imag e he created and the object. If the relationship represents in the production of similarity, then, there arises a question of where the similarity between image and object lies. If the images he creates dont make a reference to reality and real object, and if the relationship between object and image is on the level of similarity created by the poet through art, then, there appears a lack of link between true and false. But in Platos philosophy the relationship between objects and reality does not consist of likeness or similarity.According to Plato, Demiurge creates the idea and by beholding the idea Demiurge produces the object his ability is exalted in the imitation of the Idea. The poet, on the other hand, creates the images neither by seeing the idea nor from more substantive cognition of the object since he produces nothing but phenomena by holding up a reverberate. In this sense, the artist produces appearance and his work cannot provide us with true insight. Then, when a p oet writes intimately the bed, for instance, it is not a bed construct by the craftsman from the idea nor does it have any relation to the real bed it is only simulation and phenomena.There is also a residual between the knowledge of the poet and the knowledge of the craftsman. Man makes things and makes images. The craftsman makes the things following the original reduplicate or model the poet follows the image of the model or copy therefore he gives only a proportion of reality. The proportion of knowledge and opinion, truth and falsity plays a channeling role in distinguishing imitation as proportion of being to appearance. Plato argues that to understand the image, one needs to know the reality and the path to reality is in philosophy and reason, not in poetry and emotion.Although Plato admits that every object in nature is a reflection of the Idea, he doesnt object to the reflection of object in nature. Plato uses mirror and water as constant metaphors to clarify the relat ionship between reality and the reflection of eidon. Plato argues that the poet holds up mirror to nature and in his work we see the reflection of nature not reality. He objects to the reflection of objects in the mirror, since things are divided into two parts visible and intelligible. The first of the visible things is the class of copies, which includes shadows and reflections in the mirror.The second class of visible things is that of which the previous is a likelihood or copy. Plato objects to the reflection of object in the mirror, since mirror (poet) imprisons and limits the image. And he also objects to the imitation, since the poet imitates without knowledge. Therefore, it is not its imitative character but its lack of truth and knowledge, which brings poetry to its low estate. Homer and all the poetic tribe are imitators of images of virtue and other things but they do not rely on truth. Poetry, aft(prenominal) all, is a madness that seizes the soul when it contemplates i n true knowledge of goods.Platos objection to mimesis may also interpreted as a reception to the sophistic thinking that aims to produce images that the listener will regard as real, all of which take place in the world of phenomena. Image, thought, and opinion combine into a world of appearance characterized by nonbeing, a phenomenal nature and similarity. And as long as illusion and reality are not distinguished, science, ignorance, and appearance merge together. Within the concept of mimesis, then, Plato creates an independent sphere of the aesthetic consisting of appearance, image and illusion and excludes it from the domain of philosophy.He insists that there are no phenomena without being, no images without reality, no mimesis without a model. Yet reality and idea cannot be represented without knowledge and images are not part of reality. Plato, in the Republic, in Ion, and in Symposium uses the concept of mimesis with several meanings. He refers to the education of the young in Book X of the Republic in Ion he develops a metaphysical discourse on the concept of imitation, and in Book III of the Republic he objects to imitation because mimesisaddresses and strengthens the lower part of the spirit.Plato refers to ethical aspects of mimesis whenever he refers to the concept of imitation. That is, mimesis is an ethical matter in Platos dialogues. He is not provoke in the aesthetic aspect of mimesis therefore, he does not pay perplexity to the form and matter of mimesisand art. Plato deals with the value of mimesis. Aristotle is the first to deal with mimesis as a hypothesis of art. He dwells on the concept of mimesis as an aesthetic theory of art and considers imitation in terms of the form in which it is collective.By imitation, he means something like representation through which mimesis becomes the equivalent of artistic and aesthetic enterprise. Unlike Plato, Aristotle also argues that mimesis is not morally destructive since reason controls art. II. The Concept of Imitation in Aristotle Aristotle states that all human actions are mimetic and that men learn through imitation. In particular, mimesis is the distinguishing quality of an artist. He argues that public classifies all those who write in meter as poets and completely misses the point that the capacity to produce an imitation is the essential quality of the poet.The poet is distinguished from the rest of humankind with the essential ability to produce imitation. A poet may imitate in one of three styles in poetry he may use pure narrative, in which he speaks in his own person without imitation, as in the dithyrambs, or he may use mimetic narrative and speaks in the person of his characters, as in comedy and tragedy. A poet may use mixed narrative, in which he speaks now in his own person and now in the person of his character, as in epic poetry. Mimetic poetry may also differ according to the object of imitation.In this respect, tragedy differs from comedy in that i t makes its characters better sooner than worse. Mimesis, particularly, becomes a central term when Aristotle discusses the nature and function of art. In the Poetics, he defines tragedy as as an imitation of human action that is serious, complete and of a certain magnitude in language embellished with every kind of artistic ornament, the various kinds being found in different parts of the play it represents man in action rather than using narrative, through pity and fear effecting the proper catharsis of these emotion.Aristotle is interested in the form of imitation and goes on to consider plot, character, diction, thought, spectacle and song as constituting elements of a typical tragedy. The action of plot must be complete in itself with a proper beginning, middle and an end. wholly parts of action must be equally essential to the whole. severally part of the tragedy is imitation itself. Character in tragedy imitates the action of noble man who has to be a man of some friendly standing and personal reputation, but he has to be presented us in terms of his weaknesses because it is his weakness that will make his fall believable.Aristotle thinks that all types of art are mimetic but each may differ in the manner, means, and object of imitation. Music imitates in sound and rhythm, painting in coloration and poetry in action and word. Aristotles mimesis does not refer to the imitation of Idea and appearances, like that of Plato. He argues that each area of knowledge is imitation in the sense that as a human being we all learn through imitation. However, he carefully makes a distinction between different kinds of knowledge.For instance, he claims that art and philosophy deal with different kind of truth philosophy deals with concrete and absolute truth, whereas art deals with aesthetic and cosmopolitan truth. The difference, for instance, between mimetic poetry and history is stated as one writes about what has actually happened, while the other deals with w hat might happen. Art, different science, doesnt abstract universal form but imitates the form of individual things and unites the separate parts presenting what is universal and particular.Therefore, the function of poetry is not to exhibit what has happened but to portray what may have happened in accord with the principle of probability and necessity. Since poetry deals with universal truth, history considers only particular facts poetry is more philosophical and deserves more serious attention. In addition, aesthetic representation of reality is not technical, factual, philosophical, and historical. Aristotle compares aesthetic process (mimesis) with the process that takes place in nature.While nature collide withs through internal principles, art moves through constituent(a) principles like plot, action, characters, diction, and there is a unity among them. In a sense, art imitates nature and the deficiencies of nature are supplemented in the process of imitation, and art f ollows the same method, as nature would have employed. Thus, if a house were natural product, it would obviate through the same stages that in fact it passes through when it is produced by art, they would move along the same lines the natural process actually takes. Poets, like nature, are capable of creating matter and form.The origin of nature is nature itself and the origin of art is the artist and the defining characteristic of the artist is the ability to create, through imitation, as nature does. The artist constructs the plot as an organizing principle, character constitutes the relation and carries on the action and style gives pleasure. For instance, the plot of tragedy and Dionysian rituals display similar organization. The rituals begin with the spring, which is a striking and beautiful time of the year, and they represent the strength of gods and nature upon primitive society.Tragedy, like the image of spring, has a striking and matter to beginning and, like ritual, a tragic play pervades and shapes the feelings of the audiences. Dionysian ritual is a sacrifice of human being for gods and nature in the trust for a better and peaceful beginning. Similarly, the tragic hero is symbolically sacrificed afterward which there appears a peace. Then, the poet takes tragedy, as a mimetic representation of myth, from the natural course of an event that takes place in nature and reorganizes it.In this sense, mimesis designates the imitation and the manner in which, as in nature, creation takes place. Mimesis, as Aristotle takes it, is an sprightly aesthetic process. He argues that imitation is given us by nature and men are endowed with these gifts, gradually develop them and finally create the art of poetry. The poet does not imitate reality but brings reality into existence through mimesis. The poet recreates and reorganizes already known facts and presents them in a unobjectionable and attractive way therefore, though audiences know the story of Sopho cles Oedipus, they go and gain it.The reality as presented to us through mimesis is superior and universal not only because we are pleased to learn through imitation but also because such reality is better. Homer, for instance, depicts Achilles not only as a bad character but also depicts his goodness. Mimesis is thus copying and changing. The poet creates something that previously did not exist and for which there are no available models. regular(a) in dealing with historical materials, the poet needs to fashion it in accord with his art rising to a higher level than is found in reality.Art is fictitious but the mimetic and aesthetic nature of art pervades the fictitious deviation and a work of art forces the thing to appear as something more beautiful and better than that nature and human being posses in common, for it is always writers duty to make world better. It can be argued that Aristotle defines and argues about art with respect to mimesis, and the concept of imitation i n Aristotle is an aesthetic matter. Mimesis is not only origin of art but also a distinguishing quality of man, since imitation is natural to mankind from childhood on in addition all men ferret out pleasure in imitation.He claims that there are things that scathe us when we see them in reality, but the most accurate representation of these same things we view with pleasure. In this sense, catharsis is not a moral and psychological matter but a natural end of the aesthetic act as Salkaver discusses below Fear and pity are dangerous emotions painful and degenerate feelings arise from the imagination of an imminent evil and cause destruction and pain. Pity, in particular, is a kind of pain upon seeing noxious or painful evil happening to one who does not deserve.However, in the representation of such feelings one feels empathy and gets rid of them. So, a work of art gives a man an opportunity to get rid of painful and troubled feelings arising from the imagination of an imminent e vil that may cause destruction and pain on the part of the citizen. Aristotle develops a consistent theory of art upon the concept of imitation. He begins saying that all human actions are imitation, then, he focuses on poetry and other areas of studies like history and philosophy. Lastly, he dwells on the poet and the concept of imitation as taken and practiced by playwrights.All his arguments upon mimesis are, both in general and in specific sense, have aesthetics quality, since he does not take imitation as social, moral or political phenomena but as an activity of the artist. CONCLUSION Platos main tint is with the public recitation of dramatic and epic poetry and in Plato there is emulation between philosophy and poetry. The poet influences the character of the young in every way and has corruptive impact upon the education of the young mind. In addition, poets dont have a true knowledge of the things.Plato suggests that the emotional appeal is a threat to reason, that mimetic art is remote from reality, that the poet is not serious and knows nothing about poetry and cannot give satisfactory information about his art. It is obvious that he resists the concept of imitation in the case of poetic composition. Tragedy, in particular, and poetry, in general are concerned with pleasure rather than instruction and since it is not possible to imitate a wise and quiet person in the play, since such a person does not adapt the content of tragedy, mimesis is ethically distracting.Therefore, the function of various discussions of mimetic art in the Republic is ethical wherever he mentions art he discusses it in relation to education and ethics. Although Aristotle agrees with Plato that poetry has the power to stimulate emotions, he does not pay much attention to the ethical and epistemological aspects of mimesis. Yet he dwells on the pleasure that men take in learning and argues that tragedy discharges the feelings and spectators leave the play in a state of calm, free of passions.He does not restrict art and poetry and the concept of mimesis. Aristotles mimesis is define by mythos and praxis, which brings the concept close to areas of time and action- in contrast to Platonic mimesis, which is closer to image, imagination and imitation. He argues that tragedy is the imitation (mimesis) of a man in action. Aristotles mimesis is active and creative and he gives a dynamic character to mimesis by introducing mythos and praxis, thus, defines art as mimesis and the artist as character.Plato worries about the moral effect of poetry, while Aristotle strikes to psychology and returns repeatedly to move reflexively terror (phobos) and pity (eleos) that the tragedy is creating in the spectator, who therefore repeats or imitates what has already taken place on stage. Plato argues that there is a duality between art (mimesis and narrative art) and ethics. The more poetic the poems are the less fit are they to the ears of men. Artistically, the better t he comedy is, the worst it is, since the more attractive and perfect the comedy is the more disastrous its effects are.For instance, Homer, in the Iliad tells us or narrates the story of cypresses, as he was himself a cypress. He tells the story as far as it makes the audience feel that not Homer is the speaker, but the priest, an old man. This manner of representation (impersonation), according to Plato, leads to the loss-of-self or transformation of identity and becomes a matter of moral destruction. Aristotle takes the same activity of impersonation in a different way.He praises Homer for not telling excessively in his own voice since, after a few course he immediately brings on stage a man or woman or some other characters that represent the action with bigger perspective. As a conclusion, mimesis has since the antiquity been discussed to refer to the relation between reality and representation. The nature of discussion upon the concept of mimesis as a theory of art changes ac cording to the person who discusses the term and the way he deals with the term.Auerbach, for instance, distinguishes the reality and mimesis in literature with respect to the narrative techniques and argues that Homeric epic is not mimetic but realistic since narration of the tales comprehends every detail and leaves no length for interpretation. Plato, on the other hand, agrees that reality cannot be represented therefore, mimesis is misrepresentation of truth. Aristotle becomes the withstander of mimesis against Plato and develops a theory of art with reference to mimesis and claims that art (mimetic art) is superior to philosophy and histpry.