Aristotle
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Aristotle | |
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| Born | 384 BCE |
| Died | 322 BCE |
| Nationality | Macedonian (Ancient Greek) |
| Occupation | Philosopher; scientist; polymath |
| Known for | Logic; metaphysics; ethics; natural philosophy |
| Notable work | Nicomachean Ethics; Politics; Metaphysics; Organon |
Aristotle (384–322 BCE) was an ancient Greek philosopher and polymath whose work shaped the development of Western philosophy and science for centuries. A student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great, Aristotle produced systematic writings across logic, metaphysics, ethics, politics, biology, and physics.
Unlike Plato, Aristotle emphasized empirical observation and classification, seeking to understand the structure and causes of the natural and social world.
Early life and education
Aristotle was born in Stagira in Macedonia. His father served as a physician to the Macedonian royal court, which exposed Aristotle early to scientific and medical inquiry.
He moved to Athens as a young man to study at Plato’s Academy, where he remained for many years as a student and later as a lecturer.
Philosophical method
Aristotle developed a method that combined logical analysis with empirical observation. He argued that knowledge begins with sensory experience and proceeds through systematic reasoning.
This approach distinguished his work from purely abstract or idealist philosophies.
Logic
Aristotle is regarded as the founder of formal logic. His works collected in the Organon analyze syllogistic reasoning and principles of valid inference.
Aristotelian logic dominated logical theory for nearly two millennia.
Ethics
In ethics, Aristotle focused on character and virtue rather than rules or consequences. In the Nicomachean Ethics, he argued that human flourishing (eudaimonia) is achieved through the cultivation of virtue and practical wisdom.
Ethical excellence, in this view, arises from habitual action guided by reason.
Politics
Aristotle examined political organization as a natural extension of human social life. In Politics, he analyzed different forms of government and emphasized the role of law and civic participation.
He viewed the polis as essential for achieving the good life.
Natural philosophy
Aristotle conducted extensive studies of plants, animals, and physical phenomena. His biological works include detailed classifications based on observation.
Although later scientific developments revised many of his conclusions, his methodological emphasis on systematic inquiry was highly influential.
Later life
After leaving Athens, Aristotle served as tutor to Alexander the Great before founding his own school, the Lyceum. He continued teaching and writing until political circumstances forced him to leave Athens.
He died in 322 BCE.
Legacy
Aristotle’s influence spans philosophy, science, and education. His ideas shaped medieval scholarship and informed later developments in logic, ethics, and natural science.
Even where his conclusions were later revised, his methods and conceptual frameworks remain foundational to Western intellectual history.