What is an explanation of the nature of something as thinkers such as Plato Aristotle and Socrates would have taught?

Answer 1

"Nature" here means ways of classifying things.

For example, questions philosophers such as Aristotle, Plato and Socrates might ask are:

• Is this a person or thing? Is this person-thing living or not living?
  
• What makes something be living?
• Is a tree a living item or not? If a tree is living, is the leaf on the ground that came from the tree also living when separated from the tree? What is the nature of the tree and its leaf?
• If a tree is living, and we cut it down and make a table of it, what is the nature of this table? If it came from living matter, is the table's wood still living matter?

Great Philosophers began to study Nature (here, meaning, woodlands, trees, leaves, plants) and try to classify things, not only based on type, size, shape, but to explore with their thinking just what defines humans as humans, animals as animals, nature (the scenery around us) as nature, and objects as things.

They began to explore the "nature of...." (everything). What is IT? If IT is described as A, B, C, D, then what about this other IT that seems different from the first IT we studied? What makes a living tree and attached leaves be the same but also different from a felled tree on the ground on top of leaf litter that fell in autumn? These ideas were the beginnings of recognizing the smallest pieces of life: molecules and atoms.

They also studied abstract concepts, things they could see but that needed defined. For example: motion. They saw the wind blow the leaf-- is the wind also a living being? How is something moved, when is it moved, how is it moved? These ponderings helped construct the beginnings of the subject of physics.

The nature of something is classifying it not only by what we see but how it (or a person) functions and behaves, thinks and feels, does (and does not do). The leaf "dances" on the wind as if a living entity, yet it differs from a living human being who also twirls and dances as if he or she is the leaf carried upon the wind!

The levels of classifying humans or things can be as endless as the human or object we are studying, depending how far "in" to the item or person we're studying. As 2 examples, you could classify a person by:

1. Living, human, female, mature (of an age to reproduce), age of (number), married or single (or widow); then you could classify her by what she does (her task functions) like bears children, takes care of children, cooks, cleans, washes clothing, makes things (baskets and tools), then you could classify her by how she seems, like freely shows emotions, cries more than "a living human male", etc.; in today's societies, you could classify her by her jobs or occupation(s) or career(s); the list can go on and on... OR
2. Living, tree, young (sapling), short, thin, wiry stalk, easily bendable, easily snapped under force, shallow root system, soft green pine needles (not leaves), seeds easily scattered; many of its kind grow in certain types of soil often near a large pine tree; functions--no shade; it gives no wood at this stage; its seeds can survive fire and grow the next season; when does it grow? where does it grow? what does it give to animals and humans? Etc.

The "nature of something" also contains some mysteries, the things we ASK ourselves about, but do not yet know the answers!

Answer 2

These ancient thinkers believed that the nature of something, or its essence, could be understood through reason and philosophical inquiry. They emphasized the importance of seeking knowledge through critical thinking, questioning assumptions, and uncovering universal truths that define the fundamental qualities of objects or concepts. For Plato, the nature of something exists beyond the physical world and can only be grasped through introspection and dialectic, while Aristotle focused on empirical observation and categorization to discern the essence of things. Socrates, known for his Socratic method, believed in engaging in dialogue to arrive at a deeper understanding of the essence or nature of a subject.