The three principles in Aristotle’s philosophy of mind and consciousness

Twenty-five centuries ago, Aristotle delineated a philosophy of mind and consciousness that has never been surpassed. His principles, outlined in his books “Categories,” “Metaphysics,” and “Physics,” have withstood the passage of time. His books were written mostly in the period 340-325 BC. John Vespasian explains that the Aristotelian philosophy of mind and consciousness can be condensed in three principles. Let’s enumerate them one by one. First, the definition of human beings as rational creatures. It differentiates Aristotle from his contemporaries Plato (428-347 BC), Zeno (334-262 BC) and Epicurus (341-270 BC). Those gave less weight to reason, and more to emotions and intuition. Second, the acknowledgement of the fact that each person, through his mind and decisions, gives shape to his own life. In his work “Nicomachean Ethics,” Aristotle said that “happiness depends on ourselves,” meaning that it depends on our actions, on our efforts. Third, the recognition that the purpose of human life, and of thinking as a whole, is to achieve happiness. In “Nicomachean Ethics,” Aristotle said that “happiness is the meaning and goal of human life, the central objective of human existence.” Let us explore these three principles in detail. Here is the link to the original article: https://johnvespasian.com/the-three-principles-in-aristotles-philosophy-of-mind-and-consciousness/