Question

In debating the origins of knowledge, Plato and Aristotle disagreed about the relative importance of what?

Answer 1

Plato and Aristotle disagreed about the relative importance of Nature and Nurture.

Plato introduced the term nativism (Nature) as the idea that our thoughts, ideas and characteristics are inborn. In other words, we are believed to be born with these thoughts, ideas and characteristics, and that they are already in our genes.

On other hand, Aristotle introduced the idea to us of empiricism, or Nurture. He described this as, knowledge is gained through experience (senses). Our thoughts and ways are not because of our genetic make-up, but because of how we were raised and brought up by our parents and overall lifestyle.