Which of the following best describes Aristotle's conception of the contents and capacities of the rational psyche?
A) It contains innately within it ideal forms whose essential natures are imperfectly and incompletely hinted at by the appearances of everyday experience.
B) It starts out completely empty like a blank slate, and all of its ideas and concepts are the result of empirical experiences impacting it.
C) Although originally empty of specific memories, it contains within itself innate categories into which experiences can be classified.
D) It contains innately within itself memories from previous incarnations, which may be "remembered" following certain later experiences.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Aristotle believed that the rational psyche (or soul) is initially empty of particular memories, but does contain innate categories or "mental capacities" that enable it to process and classify experiences. He referred to these mental capacities as the "categories of thought" or "categories of being." This view is different from the blank slate theory (B) associated with John Locke and the theory of innate ideas (A) associated with Plato. Aristotle did not believe in reincarnation or the pre-existence of the soul (D).

Which of the Following Best Describes Aristotle's Conception of the Contents