Aristotle

384 - 322 BCE | Ancient Greek Philosopher & Polymath

Early Life & Background

Born in Stagira, a Greek colony in northern Macedonia, Aristotle was the son of Nicomachus, court physician to King Amyntas III of Macedon. This medical background influenced Aristotle's lifelong interest in biology and empirical observation. Orphaned at a young age, he was raised by a guardian who sent him to Athens at seventeen to study at Plato's Academy, where he would remain for twenty years.

Student & Critic of Plato

At the Academy, Aristotle proved to be Plato's most brilliant student, but also his most challenging critic. While deeply influenced by his teacher, Aristotle gradually developed fundamental disagreements with Plato's Theory of Forms, arguing instead that universals exist within particular things rather than in a separate realm. When Plato died in 347 BCE, Aristotle left Athens, possibly disappointed at not being chosen to lead the Academy.

Tutor to Alexander

In 343 BCE, King Philip II of Macedon invited Aristotle to tutor his thirteen-year-old son, Alexander (later "the Great"). For three years, Aristotle educated the future conqueror in philosophy, politics, literature, and science. This relationship would prove historically significant, as Alexander's conquests spread Greek culture throughout the known world, carrying Aristotelian ideas to distant lands.

The Lyceum & Systematic Philosophy

Returning to Athens in 335 BCE, Aristotle founded his own school, the Lyceum, where he developed his systematic approach to knowledge. Unlike Plato's Academy, the Lyceum emphasized empirical research and the collection of data. Aristotle and his students conducted extensive studies in biology, politics, ethics, and logic, creating the first comprehensive classification systems in many fields.

Major Contributions

• Logic - Created formal logic and syllogistic reasoning
• Ethics - Developed virtue ethics and the concept of the golden mean
• Politics - Analyzed constitutions and forms of government
• Biology - Pioneered systematic biological classification
• Physics - Established principles of motion and causation
• Poetics - Analyzed tragedy and the nature of art

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."

Scientific Method

Aristotle pioneered empirical investigation, insisting that knowledge must be grounded in careful observation of the natural world. He dissected animals, collected specimens, and systematically categorized living things. His biological works remained authoritative for over two millennia, and his emphasis on observation laid groundwork for the modern scientific method.

Final Years & Death

When Alexander the Great died in 323 BCE, anti-Macedonian sentiment rose in Athens. Facing charges of impiety (similar to those that killed Socrates), Aristotle fled to Chalcis, declaring he would not let Athens "sin twice against philosophy." He died there the following year at age 62, possibly from stomach illness.

Lasting Legacy

Aristotle's influence on Western thought is immeasurable. His logical system dominated reasoning for over two thousand years. Medieval Islamic and Christian scholars built their philosophies on Aristotelian foundations. His ethical theory continues to influence moral philosophy, while his political analysis remains relevant to contemporary governance. From biology to literary criticism, virtually every academic discipline traces some of its methods and concepts back to Aristotelian innovations. He remains the paradigm of the systematic philosopher-scientist, demonstrating that rigorous thinking can illuminate every aspect of human experience.