Argument Quote by Edith Hamilton
“Through Plato, Aristotle came to believe in God; but Plato never attempted to prove His reality. Aristotle had to do so. Plato contemplated Him; Aristotle produced arguments to demonstrate Him. Plato never defined Him; but Aristotle thought God through logically, and concluded with entire satisfaction to himself that He was the Unmoved Mover.”
About This Quote
Plato introduced the idea of a divine mover but did not prove it; Aristotle built logical arguments to define God as the Unmoved Mover.
In simple terms: Plato hinted at God; Aristotle tried to prove God exists.
Key Takeaway
Use logical reasoning to explore metaphysical concepts.
Themes
philosophy
theology
history of ideas
classical thought
Mood
reflective
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
theological
historical
When to use this quote
- academic study
- personal belief formation
- ethical decision making
- dialogue
Key Concepts
metaphysics
argumentation
conceptual analysis
Questions to Reflect On
- Can philosophical reasoning alone establish divine existence?
- How do differing methods affect belief?
A Different Perspective
Plato’s lack of proof may limit acceptance of his ideas.
![“If they [Plato and Aristotle] wrote about politics it was as if to lay down rules for a madhouse. And if they pretended to treat it as something really important it was because they knew that the madmen they were talking to believed themselves to be kings and emperors. They humoured these beliefs…” quote by Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/eb5/blaise-pascal-167_belief_if-they-plato-and-aristotle-wrote-about_343108.jpg)
![“My metaphysical thinking is more in alignment with Plato rather than Aristotle's." ~R. Alan Woods [2013]” quote by R. Alan Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/50d/r-alan-woods-1455_aristotle_my-metaphysical-thinking-is-more-in-alig_2026879.jpg)
