- Explain Aristotle’s view of the different candidates for happiness. What are the positions he initially examines, and why does he find each one unsatisfactory?
- Why does Descartes speak about architecture, city planning, lawmaking, and religion at the beginning of Discourse 2? What is his point, and do you agree with it?
- Describe Aristotle’s view of which things are necessary for virtuous action. How does virtue differ from a craft? Why can’t virtue be taught through argument?
- Discuss Descartes’ criticism of his traditional education the liberal arts in Discourse 1. Why is he not satisfied with what he was taught?
- Discuss the Four Rules of Descartes’ method in Discourse 2, briefly explaining their significance as challenges to the Aristotelian view of science, as we encountered it in Physics II.
Sample Solution