Many were the contributions of this brilliant philosopher, even today his discoveries are still important for society and many of his thoughts continue to gain recognition over the years, that's why we tell you all the Aristotle's contributions to psychology.
Who was Aristotle?
Before talking about the Aristotle's contributions to psychology, let's start by remembering who he was. Born in an ancient town in Macedonia, a city located in Greece, his parents died when he was in his teens, later being left in the care of a possible brother of his mother who took him to study in Athens, which at that time was the seat of the education and culture in Greece.
He was a student of Plato at the famous Academy of Athens, who in turn was a student of Socrates and together they form the most important philosophers in human history. It was said that Aristotle was very attached to his teacher, despite having marked differences in thought with him, since Plato based his life and his teachings on what he believed the world could or should be, he went more for ethics based on thought and ideals.
On the other hand, Aristotle believed more in the essence of the body and soul, he based his way of life on being guided by what he could see, study and verify, he cultivated the learning he obtained based on lived experiences, in a way that could also provide him with this wisdom to the world.
Possibly to this he owed his success, since out of how much he appreciated his educator, he opposed his philosophy in such a way that after the eldest died, Aristotle set out to make his own philosophy based on what he studied about the world and living beings, inventions and Aristotle's discoveries are still used today and he is recognized as the "father of Western philosophy."
The philosopher was very intelligent and knowledgeable about many things related to living beings, society and the universe itself, his studies range from science to biology, mathematics, politics, metaphysics and many other areas of knowledge.
What is Positive Psychology?
Positive psychology is a study that focuses on projecting positivism in people's lives so that this influences the development and growth in all aspects of human life, all this is through the recognition of values and vigor in the life.
The main objective of this method is to promote joy in people's lives, all this would be achieved by different techniques since happiness is a relative term and works in different ways for everyone, that means that the activities or methods that cause satisfaction and enjoyment in one person are different for others, and even if there are similarities between individuals, in the end it is always a matter of tastes and colors.
This method is applicable in many areas of learning and help, such as support groups for people going through difficult circumstances, training schools for children such as kindergarten, primary school, and even for young people going through times of change and transition, it is also applied in homes for older adults or adults who are facing a complicated illness.
There are even records that many professionals have used it to treat patients with mental disorders in a complicated state. All this because it has been proven that when people focus their ideas and thoughts on joyful, happy, positive things, this affects all aspects of their lives and stimulates personal growth, which also brings well-being to people's lives. .
It should be noted that this is a method that must be applied correctly by professionals who know how to use it, since there are many people who are responsible for selling the method as a "magic potion" that turns people's lives into a story. fairy, however, if the psychology is not applied properly, then it is not effective.
Aristotle's contributions to psychology
Although it is true that positivism in thought and ideas has gained recognition in recent times, the truth is that it is a subject that has been discussed for centuries, one of the main authors of which there is a precedent is Aristotle, who In addition to the many writings he did in his life, among them were some that talked about ethics, morals and psychology.
"I consider the one who conquers his desires to be braver than the one who conquers his enemies, since the hardest victory is the victory over oneself." Aristotle
Here we mention some of the most important Aristotle's contributions to psychology:
The goal is happiness
Many opinions about this method have been based on the ideals that Aristotle embodied long before his death. For the philosopher, joy is the purpose of life and must be implicit in the instincts that guide life. Human nature, he believed that human beings should seek their own happiness through pleasure and satisfaction.
This aspect was so important to him that he did his best to instill in his pupils so that they would obtain from him all the possible lessons on how to be happy, so that they would put it into practice and inspire others to do so as well. That is how these teachings came to influence us, even after many centuries, that is how strong the impact and Aristotle's contributions to positive psychology.
A factor that was very clear to the philosopher is that our level of complacency and enjoyment greatly influences the other aspects of our lives, that is, that happiness brings well-being to people and this influences health, work, relationships, finances and other areas of life.
Perseverance is the Key
Custom is a very important factor for the realization of prosperity in life, Aristotle believed that we must adapt our routine and all aspects of our lives in order to achieve all the goals we set for ourselves. He was in favor of "if you want it, take it", since wishes do not come to one by themselves, when we want something we must fight to get it, otherwise these will not come true and will remain mere dreams.
The philosopher believed that patience is a virtue that not many possess, however, it is very useful to use in all aspects of life. Positive psychology is a method that works as long as it is well used, it is a process that needs perseverance and patience, the results will not come from one day to the next and if this is a virtue that you lack, it is recommended that you start practice for frequent use.
Virtue of Moral Thought
It comes from the term "phronesis" (phronesis) that was taken from the book Nicomachean Ethics, which was the writing on values and principles that Aristotle wrote and dedicated to his son, who had the same name. The word has a somewhat complicated and cumbersome etymology, which in short could be translated as understanding, prudence and perception, it all depends on how people relate the word to the meaning in general.
Aristotle proposed this term as the way in which we must act to recognize when something is not right in our behavior, that we have the courage to accept it, but above all that we strive to change it. The purpose of this practice is to help us develop our potential, especially in the moral and ethical aspect, so that we can accept our mistakes and this provides us with better results in our resolutions.