Aristotle Overview Notes

Plato's dialogues / social website
Unifying theme: can tell soon what the theme is and how things are organized around it.
Sharable: can be given to people to view during appropriate times.
Invitation to open discussion: seeing it and doing it.
Possible to understand but not obvious: not obscure and confusing but requires effort.

Aristotle
Son of a physician. Student of Plato, who called him the brain. He also wrote dialogues, apprently beautiful ones, but they were all lost. Some of what we have are lecture notes. His writings became core elements of education. Dialectic / dialogue quality of his writings.
Plato--things imitating forms. Aristotle--forms possessed by things. Potentialities of things with forms.
Plato--creators and critics acting from a glimpse of an ideal form. Aristotle--creators and critics acting from general principles understood about forms and applied in the potentialities of the moment. Like judges with precedents.
Plato--philosophical dramas. Aristotle--actual dramas. For both, adult education. Undoing false views. Veratasium video on Khan Academy videos.
Plato--unity through theme. Aristotle--unity through action / character development / theme
Combine all the best making qualities--masterpieces--plot driven, character driven, theme driven. Ethos, pathos, logos.
Prototypes--for creating, for appreciating (trailers, so to speak)
Happiness not our direct aim--pay, but the result of pursuing actions with others that fulfill our potentialities as humans
Sending intiguing little parts of talks, maybe with a response. Maybe posting these little pieces for others to send too. Trailers, with voice-over. Or text over? What would they be like?

Aristotle's dramas / social website
Unified action / character development / theme : we can tell right away what we can do on the site, how we might develop along the way, and something of the theme of that development.
Developed and sharable in stages: Can send intiguing little parts of talks, maybe with a comment.  Like trailers, with voice-over. Or text over?
Invitation to open discussion and change of character and contribution: Can send in posts for development.
Possible to understand but not obvious: not obscure but requires effort which is enjoyable.

Aristotle readings
Poetics--action before character, masterpieces, mind, prototypes
Rhetoric--logos, pathos, ethos
On happiness--it is good not because they buy it but they buy it because it is good

Ancient Aristotle, Modern Application

Our ancient friend and Greek master teacher, Aristotle, offers 4 principles from which we, today, may still gain insight and find success in the social media world.  They are:

1. Unified in thematic action
2. Welcomes discussion and contribution from others for the purpose of character development
3. Easily sharable
4. Simple enough to attract and keep attention, yet thick enough for continued learning 

Aristotle was a student of "the brain," or Plato.  Hence, these Aristotelian suggestions have a Platonic ring to them.  

Items 1 and 3 seem fairly straight forward, so let's talk about 2 and 4 together.  We can all agree that a site that doesn't welcome contribution from the outside may not last very long.  People want to hear what other people want to say about the site, or rather, what the site is doing.  What Aristotle suggests is that the element of character development be included somehow in social media.  

One may ask, how can this be accomplished?  Perhaps, in modern wording, Aristotle would suggest to look at those sites that are already currently successful, as they will offer ideas of how that element ought to be incorporated.   Again, one may respond, that sounds like you're dodging the question!  As true as that may sound, the perspective Aristotle is coming from is one that says that no one knows nor has created a perfect social media website.  We all have an idea, or glimpse, of what the ideal form is, but none envelope the complete form.

So, am I saying it is simply impossible to create a good (and profitable) social media website?  On the contrary, I am saying that through discussion and contribution (point 2), while focusing a great deal on the other facets (points 1, 3, and 4), the site will grow to the needs of all while moving toward that ideal form.

Aristotle and new media

Like Plato, Aristotle spoke and wrote about a wide range of topics but also like Plato, his philosophies can be applied to modern day media. 

How should we communicate?

Aristotle taught the importance of pathos, ethos, and logos. Our communication will be at its best when we incorporate these three methods of persuasion. He would also recommend we provide opportunities to interpret and interact as this leads to a more advanced form of learning than just sharing or repetition. Finally, he would teach that our communication should develop as it reaches and helps the reader to reach their potential.

How can a website apply Aristotle's teachings?

First, the website should quickly earn the viewer's trust that it is a credible source. The website should somehow show that it is coming from experts or people that are similar to the viewer. It should influence the reader to feel emotions while providing logical information that persuade the reader to be a part of the community. 

The website, as we learned briefly with Plato, should also engage the viewer, providing he or she with the opportunity to interact with the site and interpret it in his or her own way. 

Finally, the website should provide different levels of information. As one first lands on the page, there should be high-level information but as one continues to search the page the information should become more granular. 

What element of a website is most important (according to Aristotle)?

One of the key elements of a website would be the first page. It should be professional (developing ethos), and show the reader from a high level what the website is about. It should provide clear directions about what to do next and allow the reader to choose what they want to do as they begin to interpret and interact.

Aristotle

 Who is Aristotle?

• Greek philosopher 
• 384-322 BC
• Student of Plato: taught about a lot of the same things but more systematic and created a basis for education
• His writings are also dialectic
• Wrote about: biology, government, plays, speeches, etc.
• People looked at him as the philosopher for many ages

 What would he say about social websites?

•  There is not one perfect social website (or as he would say "ideal form" of one), but only glimpses of it through real social websites.  
• Use those glimpses to understand what a social website would be and keep in mind the potential in those things, and what they might become.
• His ideas of adult education vs. kids education can be translated to social websites.  An kid or beginner website is one that you create for your purposes and expect people to participate in.  An adult or advanced one would be one that becomes the users, they dictate and manipulate it for their purposes.  It grows as their ideas and wants grow.

EXPERTS (SLANTEDLENS.COM) vs. PLATO

1.  Buyer Personas: Know who you're targeting 

Plaot drew his audience (the upper class who liked to have parties) in with creating dialogues that could be read at those parties.  How will you draw your audience in?

2.  Your Logo: Keep it clean and small

Plato tried to make his dialogues as neat.  Don't let your logo scare people away!  

3.  Navigation: Make it easy to navigate

Plato's dialogues flowed logically, just like your homepage should flow logically. 

4. Visual Representation: Show people what you do visually

Plato didn't use pictures, but make sure you do! :)

5. Be Helpful: Make it painless

Plato used dialogues so as to be as clear as possible as he made his arguments.  What will be your technique to make sure the process is painless?

6. Prove Your Credibility: Why they should care

Plato was well off and well known.  How will you come across as well off and well known?

7. Calls to Action: What do they do to become involved?

Plato made sure his dialogues would spark conversation when they were read out loud. How will your website get people involved?