Dec 7, 384
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Mar 31, 322
Life and achievements
Early life
Aristotle was born in 384 BC in the town of Stagira in the northern Greek province of Macedonia. His father, Nicomachus, was a physician and surgeon who served King Amyntas III of Macedon; this may have provided Aristotle with a better education than was usual in ancient Greece at the time.
Aristotle received his early education as any other young and curious mind of that era would receive, including mathematics, literature, and music. His father's occupation was also a reason for Aristotle's early interest in natural sciences, which was an important field for him in the later period.
Aristotle left his hometown at seventeen and went to Athens, the metropolis of the Greek peninsula. He joined Plato's Academy and became a bright student who attracted the attention of his teachers and fellow students. Aristotle was known as the 'mind of the school' by Plato himself. At the Academy, Aristotle studied philosophy, ethics, mathematics, and metaphysics, and he used to have debates with other scholars, which helped him sharpen his critical thinking and philosophical analysis skills.
Although Aristotle greatly admired Plato, he was unafraid to dissent from his teacher's opinion. With freedom of thinking, which was quite unusual for the ancient world, Aristotle was fond of studying nature and conducting systematic research.
Nearly two decades after Plato's death in 347 BC, a change occurred at the Academy. When Aristotle succeeded Plato as the head of the Academy, internal politics at the institution saw Speusippus, Plato's nephew, become the next head of the Academy. Thus, Aristotle decided to leave Athens, and in the subsequent years, he devoted himself to travel across the Greek territories, scientific investigations, and the development of his philosophical views.
In 343 BC, Aristotle got the best chance in his life when King Philip II of Macedon requested him to teach his young son Alexander, who later became Alexander the Great. Aristotle agreed to the proposal and thus became Alexander's tutor, who introduced him to philosophy, ethics, and knowledge.
When Alexander became king at age twenty, Aristotle returned to Athens in 335 BC and established his school, the Lyceum. While the Academy of Plato was more theoretical and was concerned with metaphysical concepts, the Lyceum, on the other hand, was more practical and included observation of natural phenomena, moral and political sciences, and useful arts. The Lyceum was known for Aristotle's teaching and the tendency towards studying phenomena and their observation in the natural environment, which was crucial for forming philosophical concepts.
Aristotle's early life was filled with curiosity, commitment to learning, and achievements in philosophy and science. His early life in Stagira, his education in Athens, and his travels in the Greek world prepared him for his future work and guaranteed his high status in the history of Western philosophy.
Legacy
Aristotle's works are well felt in all the significant aspects of life, be it philosophy, science, ethics, politics, and educational systems. In philosophy, he introduced a methodical way of studying nature and man's actions, which was a departure from the mere academic approach of his contemporaries. Some of his most famous works are Metaphysics, Nicomachean Ethics, and Politics, which are the cornerstones of many philosophical discourses.
Aristotle's most significant contribution in this regard is in the field of logic. He developed the Aristotelian logic system, a system of deductive reasoning that laid down the rules of argumentation and analysis in the Western world. His emphasis on syllogism and the soundness of deductive reasoning influenced the future of logic through the medieval Scholasticism, Reformation, and Enlightenment eras, including Thomas Aquinas.
The natural sciences were included regarding Aristotle's impact. Some of his famous works include Historia Animalium and Parts of Animals. He is considered one of the founders of biology due to his emphasis on empirical observation and classification.
Aristotle's theory of virtue ethics is still prevalent in ethics. He suggested that human beings aim to attain happiness, or what Aristotle called eudaimonia, by cultivating virtues such as courage, moderation, and justice. Unlike ethical theories based on rules or consequences, Aristotle was more concerned with character development and the pursuit of excellence in actions and habits. His ideas are still relevant in contemporary moral philosophy and ethical discourses.
Aristotle's thoughts on government, as presented in Politics, still apply in present society. He discussed various types of states, such as democratic, oligarchic, and tyrannical, and provided a detailed comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of all three. His understanding of the state and the notion of civic activism for the public interest remain relevant today in debates about democracy, citizenship, and forms of government.
Apart from philosophy and science, Aristotle's approach to knowledge as a method has influenced education and academic discussions. His focus on the use of dialogue, reason, and empirical methods at the Lyceum provided a model of how learning should be done, a model that is still in use in universities today.
Thus, it is possible to state that Aristotle's concepts, approaches, and attitudes are still significant in Western culture. His work is still read and used in philosophy, science, ethics, politics, and rhetoric and remains a valuable tool for teaching and learning.
Milestone moments
Mar 5, 367
Early Education in Stagira
Aristotle’s scholarship started in his hometown at Stagira; however, little is known of his early education, though it can be assumed that his father Nicomachus might have the role to play in his initial education. This period helped to set the course for pursuing natural sciences and philosophy after Aristotle’s education ended.
Aug 9, 367
Studies at Plato's Academy in Athens
Aristotle, at the age of 17, heard about the great school of philosophy in Athens and decided to join it, known as the Academy headed by Plato. Staying at the Academy, Aristotle learned the fundamentals of the then working philosophy, ethics, mathematics, and metaphysics from Plato. People began to notice him as a smart mathematician and thinker, and according to Plato, “he became known as the mind of the school.”
Apr 5, 347
Departure from Athens and Travels
After Plato’s death in 347 BC, Aristotle and Phyllonic, his nephew, left Athens due to internal conflict in the Academy. He begins to travel extensively across the Greek world, both for the purpose of scientific investigation and to expand his philosophic and scientific learning. These travels were educational in the opinion of Bienviste regarding the formation of Aristotle on his/her own personal developmental cognitive growing process.
Dec 23, 343
Tutoring Alexander the Great
According to biography of Aristotle it is stated that in 343 BC, Aristotle was invited by the King Philip II of Macedon to be as the private tutor to his 13 years old son named Alexander, later known as Alexander the Great. In his youth Alexander the Great studied philosophy, ethics, politics and other sciences with Aristotle, and therefore could have an understanding of these issues. It also helped Aristotle understand real-world intentions and implementations of what he taught, and even shape the early years of one of the most crucial personages in history.
Sep 4, 335
Returning to Athens and the founding of the Lyceum
When Alexander became the king of Macedonia, Aristotle went back to Athens in 335 BCE and established a new school – the Lyceum. The Lyceum, in contrast to Plato’s Academy, paid more attention to the curriculum, logic, observation, and definite analysis of the diversified subjects that included biology, physics, ethics, and politics. The Athenians flocked to attend his lecture, especially at the Lyceum, which remains a significant achievement in his career as a lecturer and philosopher.
Mar 31, 330
Logics and Epistemology Contributions
Aristotle system of logic, syllogism, was established while he was with Plato at the Academy and after the period of training. His logical works include work of “Categories” and “Prior Analytics” where treatise on dealing with proposition and argumentation. Hence, Aristotelianism’s central focus on formal, formalized deductive logic and the analysis of valid forms of argumentation offered a systematic character to philosophical discourse and rational scientific thinking.