Aristotle vs. Henry David Thoreau Philosophies

Aristotle vs. Henry David Thoreau Philosophies

Introduction

Henry David Thoreau and Aristotle focused their writings on how man was affected by nature. They converted their philosophies though both the portrayal of their protagonist and their own self exploration. Aristotle writes about Ahab's physical and metaphysical struggle over the great white whale, Moby Dick, symbolic of man's struggle against the overwhelming forces of nature. Ahab's quest is described and experienced through the eyes of Ishmael. Aristotle's use of the third person's biographical standpoint exposes conflicting viewpoints that were both in agreement and disagreement with Ahab's quest, creatively allowing Aristotle to transcend the story line and expostulate his own philosophies. In compare, Thoreau, composed from an autobiographical standpoint disclosing his own interior confrontations with mans struggle against nature. In, Walden - A life in the Woods, Thoreau reveals his mental and religious convictions through a personal excursion in which he strives to become in tune with environment, working not to be victorious over these universal forces, but rather to take part in harmony with environment, in tern exposing love and truth. Both authors try to analyze all aspects of environment and its relevance to human life. They discover the powers and leverages of nature over mankind. However, Aristotle centers his point of view upon mankind in conflict with nature's forces, while Thoreau believes that if mankind experiences nature, we will envelope ideas which will teach mankind to live harmoniously in our natural environment; in turn, allowing individuals to reach the highest levels of achievement synergistically with nature.

Analysis

Relevancy can be defined as having legitimacy or importance in relation with something. Taking into consideration Thoreau and his opus, the question becomes whether or not his concepts have validity when applied to today's culture. We are surrounded by a culture obsessed with advancements. Most of all, our society revolves around the constant acquisition of material wealth. The core of Thoreau's message is to reject the endless pursuit of possessions and money, for the more simplistic journey of discovering yourself and the world around you. Thoreau's theories are undoubtedly relevant in relation to society today.

In Walden, Thoreau reveals the true nature of economy, an endless quest for more than what is necessary to live. He argues that excess possessions not only require excess labor to purchase them but in fact oppress people. This directly relates to our culture. Everyone devotes their life and work to the acquisition of material goods. The mainstream of society buys into the idea that a person's worth is defined by how much they own. People believe they need to own things in order to be happy, or even socially acceptable. Thoreau's Walden experiment was intended to show Americans, who "labor under a mistake"(Thoreau), the truth about life, work, and worth. He points out that because people need to own things, they are forced to devote all their time to work, at the price of their inner freedom. For example, Thoreau notes that people are chained to their ...