Final answer:
Aristotle was an Empiricist, advocating for reliance on experience and observation of the natural world to gain knowledge, differing from Plato's Rationalism. He emphasized particulars over transcendental forms, establishing practices that grounded philosophical inquiry in the material universe.
Step-by-step explanation:
Plato was a Rationalist who emphasized reason and the transcendental world of forms, while his student Aristotle diverged from him, focusing on experience and particulars. Aristotle was an Empiricist, which means he believed that our senses, though imperfect, could provide genuine insights into the workings of the world, and that philosophical inquiry should be directed towards understanding the real, material universe. He emphasized that without individual instances, there could be no knowledge of the form, which is a significant departure from Plato's viewpoint.
Aristotle's approach to philosophy was more grounded in the natural world, covering areas such as biology, physics, and politics. He believed that it was possible to improve human understanding and politics through reason and empirical evidence, rather than solely through contemplation. Aristotle's writings were more lecture-driven and didactic, contrasting with Plato's literary and dramatic works. Their methods and teachings are foundational to the trajectory of Western philosophy.