Is "Western thought" primarily Aristotelian or Platonic?

[EternusVia]

I was arguing with my friend over this topic.

In your opinion, whose thoughts influenced western civilization more, Aristotle or Plato?

 

[jedishrfu]

I think the discussion of both points of view have influenced how we view the world.

 

[EternusVia]

Would you say one contributed more to the development of science than the other? I've always thought that Aristotle's worldview was proto-scientific, or proto-naturalist. Or at least a precursor for scientific thought.

 

[Evo]

I'm afraid this gets into philosophy, which has nothing to do with science.