Aristotle on Soul, Mind, Body and Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54536/ajahs.v5i1.5607Keywords:
Aristotle, Body, Education, Mind, SoulAbstract
This study aims to investigate the Aristotelian distinction between soul, mind, and body. In addition, this investigation will emphasize the importance of education (physical education and education) in Aristotle’s mind, as the philosopher believed that a healthy and well-trained body is beneficial to the soul. The philosopher’s opinion on the issue of physical exercise and education is widely held among contemporary educators. Nevertheless, very little has been written on the subject for the last fifty years or so. Furthermore, there is an ongoing controversy over this issue, as some writers maintain that Aristotle says almost nothing about physical education and sport. The philosopher, of course, wrote on the subject, not extensively, like Plato, but enough to influence many educators of all levels in our modern world.
Downloads
References
Aristotle. (1926). Art of Rhetoric (J. H. Freese, Trans.). Harvard University Press,
Aristotle. (1977). Ethics (J.A.K Thomson, Trans). Penguin.
Aristotle. (1986). De anima: On the soul (H. Lawson-Tancred, Trans.). Penguin Books.
Aristotle. (1995). Politics (E. Barker, Trans.; R. F. Stalley, ed.). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/actrade/9780199538737.book.1
Aristotle. (2011). Constitution of Athens and related texts (K. Von Fritz & E. Kapp, Trans.). Literary Licensing.
Aristotle. (2011). Problems (R. Mayhew, Trans.). Harvard University Press.
Bambrough, R. (1963). The Philosophy of Aristotle. Signet.
Burke, R. ( 1961). The Idealism of Plato and Aristotle. In E. C. Davis, (Ed.), The Philosophic Process in Physical Education (pp. 32-55). Lea & Febiger.
Davis, E. C. (1961). The Philosophic Process in Physical Education. Lea & Febiger.
Forbes, C. (1971). Greek Physical Education. AMS Press.
Goulaki-Voutira, A. (2004). Music competitions. In N. Kaltsas (Ed.), Agon (pp. 46–51).Hellenic Ministry of Culture; National Archaeological Museum of Athens.
Guthrie, W. K. C. (1975). The Greek Philosophers. From Thales to Aristotle. Harper & Row.
Hadas, M. (1972). Hellenistic Culture: Fusion and Diffusion. W. W. Norton & Company.
Hamlyn, D. W. (1959). Aristotle’s Account of Aesthesis in the De Anima. Classical Quarterly, 9(1), 6-16.
Jaeger, W. (1976). Paideia: The ideals of Greek culture. Volume II: In search of the divine centre (G. Highet, Trans.). Oxford University Press.
Kosman, L. A.(1975). Perceiving that we perceive: On the Soul III.2. Philosophical Review, 84(4), 499-519. https://doi.org/10.2307/2183851
Lopez Frías, F. J. (2018). A critique of mutualism’s combination of the Aristotelian and Kantian traditions. Journal of the Philosophy of Sport, 45(2), 161–176. https://doi.org/10.1080/00948705.2018.1479854
McIntosch, P. (1979). Fair Play: Ethics in Sport and Education. Heinemann.
Mouratidis, J. (2009). Introduction to ancient Greek Philosophy: Topics in the Philosophy of Physical Education and Athletics [Eisagogi stin arhaia Elliniki Philosophia: Themata Philosophias tis Fisikis Agogis kai Athlitismou]. Copy City.
Mouratidis, J. (2023). History of Physical Education and Sport 3000 B.C.–2000 A.D. [Istoria Fysikis Agogis kai Athlitismou 3000 p.Ch.–2000 m.Ch]. Tziola.
Mouratidis, J. (2012). On the jump of the ancient pentathlon (Nikephoros Beihefte, Vol. 20). Weidmann.
Parker, G. F. (1967). A short Account of Greek Philosophy from Thales to Epicurus. Edward Arnold Ltd.
Pindar. (1997). Pythian Odes (W. H. Race, Trans.). Harvard University Press.
Plato. (1975). Protagoras and Meno (W. K. C. Guthrie, Trans.). Penguin.
Plato. (2005). Laws (T. J. Saunders, Trans.). Penguin.
Plato. (2013). Republic: Books 6–10 (C. Emlyn-Jones & W. Preddy, Eds. & Trans.). Harvard University Press.
Reid, H. L. (2010). Aristotle’s Pentathlete. Sport, Ethics and Philosophy, 4(2), 183–194. https://doi.org/10.1080/17511321.2010.486598
Reid, H. L. (2012). Athletic beauty in Classical Greece: A philosophical view. Journal of the Philosophy of Sport, 39(2), 281–297. https://doi.org/10.1080/00948705.2012.725900
Reid, H. L. (2019). Athletic Virtue and Aesthetic values in Aristotle’s Ethics. Journal of Philosophical Studies, 47(1), 63–74. https://doi.org/10.1080/00948705.2019.1691923
Reid, H. L. (2019). The Philosophical Athlete. Carolina Academic Press.
Russell, B. (1979). History of Western Philosophy. Simon & Schuster.
Thucydides. (1958). History of the Peloponnesian War (C. F. Smith, Trans.).Harvard University Press.
Thurmond, C. R. (1977). Athletics and Physical Exercise as “Evidence of sensible Things” in Aristotle. Canadian Journal of History of Sport & Physical Education, 8(1), 28-36.
Vegetti, M. (2003). Istoria tis Archaias Filosofias (G. Dimitrakopoulos, Trans.) [History of ancient philosophy]. Travlos.
Weiss, P. (1969). Sport: A philosophical inquiry. Southern Illinois University Press.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Α. A. Mouratidou
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
