General philosophy

What are the opinions on classic philosophers such as Aristotle, Plato, and Nietzsche among members here?

From what perspective would you like us to answer?

Since I am not interested in an extensive discourse pertaining to the history of philosophy, I will simply offer my cursory opinions.

Egalitarian wrote:What are the opinions on classic philosophers such as Aristotle, Plato,

Along with Socrates, they are the founders of western philosophy. Plato's idealism was flawed, but it served as a precursor to Aristotle's theory of matter. They were, of course, pre-scientific thinkers, and so many of their metaphysical conclusions rested upon little to no empirical evidence and were later falsified. In terms of politics, Plato was an elitist, and Aristotle's "polity" (republicanism) was also rather dismissive of democracy. At the risk of stating the obvious, they were profoundly significant thinkers in philosophy, influencing much of philosophical history and modern thought. As such, I believe it is worthwhile for any thinking individual to possess a rudimentary understanding of their intellectual contributions.

and Nietzsche among members here?

There is much of value in Nietzsche's works, but his thought lends itself too readily to reactionary pseudophilosophies. As one of the leading thinkers in the history of existentialism, however, I believe any individual remotely interested in modern philosophy must grasp the fundamentals of his thought.