The contrast in philosophy: a hermeneutic perspective

This article analyzes the contrast as a method to explore opposing ideas, but through the lens of its historical evolution. In Greek philosophy, the Aristotle’s and Plato’s contrast is one of the most striking. Plato supported the existence of the world of Ideas, while Aristotle emphasized the experience of observable reality. This difference between Platonic idealism and Aristotelian realism has profoundly marked Western philosophy, from concepts of knowledge and reality to ethics and politics. Cartesian philosophy insists on mind-body dualism, emphasizing the existence of diametrically opposed and complementary categories. This dualism serves as basis for understanding antonymy, which are seen as linguistic expressions reflecting fundamental oppositions in the structure of reality. On the contrary, in modern philosophy, the contrast takes on new forms, being the center of essential debates. An example is the contrast between empiricism and rationalism, two schools of thought that developed different methods for knowing the world.