Description

What if the philosopher who shaped Western thought for over 2,000 years also defended the enslavement of other human beings?

In this episode, we explore the philosophy of Aristotle—the systematizer, the logician, the father of empiricism, and one of the most influential thinkers in history. But we also confront the darker aspects of his legacy: his defense of natural slavery, his rejection of the immortal soul, and his problematic politics.

We begin with Aristotle's dramatic life—tutor to Alexander the Great, student of Plato for twenty years, founder of the Lyceum, and a man driven from Athens on charges of impiety. We trace his ideas from the Unmoved Mover to the Golden Mean, from the Politeia to natural slavery.

Should we celebrate Aristotle or condemn him?

📜 Topics Covered:

• Aristotle's life: tutor to Alexander, founder of the Lyceum, exile and death
• Aristotle vs. Plato: The great rivalry and who was right
• The Unmoved Mover: An impersonal God or a philosophical principle?
• The mortal soul: Why Aristotle rejected individual immortality
• Form and matter: Aristotle's redefinition of Plato's Forms
• Natural slavery: The most controversial aspect of Aristotle's philosophy
• The Politeia: Aristotle's ideal constitution
• The Golden Mean: Wisdom or compromise?
• Crowley's critique: Why the Golden Mean leads to "flabbiness"
• The loss and rediscovery of Aristotle's works
• How Aristotle's philosophy became Catholic dogma
• Aristotle and the Temple of Set: Ancestor or problem?

🎧 ABOUT THE RUBY TABLET

The Ruby Tablet Podcast is a philosophical and spiritual journey through the essays of the Temple of Set, exploring the great traditions of human thought—from ancient Egypt to the present day. Each episode is a deep dive into the ideas that help shape the Self and fan the Black Flame.

🔮 In Our Next Episode:

We turn to the Hellenistic Era—the time of Skepticism, Epicureanism, and Stoicism. How did Greek philosophy change after Aristotle? How did the mystery cults and the Orientalization of the European soul shape Western thought? The story continues.

🔗 Sources & Reading List:

Essay #5: The Philosophy of Aristotle (Aquino VI°, V2 - 102 - 5) Reading List: #16

📚 Recommended Reading:

• Aristotle, The Nicomachean Ethics (trans. W.D. Ross)
• Aristotle, The Politics (trans. Benjamin Jowett)
• Aristotle, Metaphysics (trans. W.D. Ross)
• Jonathan Barnes, Aristotle: A Very Short Introduction
• W.K.C. Guthrie, A History of Greek Philosophy, Volume 6
• Aleister Crowley, Magick Without Tears (for the critique of the Golden Mean)

💬 Join the Discussion:

What do you think? Was Aristotle a genius who transformed philosophy, or a deeply flawed thinker whose ideas were used to justify oppression? Can we separate his politics from his metaphysics? And does the Temple of Set have the right to claim Aristotle as an ancestor?

Drop your thoughts in the comments below. Which philosopher speaks more to you—Plato or Aristotle?

📺 Subscribe for more episodes exploring the hidden currents of philosophy, history, and the occult tradition.

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