Aristotle

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Aristotle, inventor of formal logic, a foundation of mathematics and science, considered by the author of the book Human Accomplishment: The Pursuit of Excellence in the Arts and Sciences, 800 B.C. to 1950 to possibly be the most important innovation ever made.

Aristotle, Greek Aristoteles, (384 - 322 BC), was an Ancient Greek philosopher and scientist, one of the most influential of human history. Aristotle, like his teacher Plato, had not politically correct views on various topics. See the "External links" section.

Life

Aristotle was born in 384 BC in Stagera of Chalkidiki. His parents Nicomachos and Faestis, came from the settlers of Chalkidiki. His father was from Andros island and his mother from Chalkis and she belonged in the generation of Asklipiads. She was a doctor. Aristotle lost his parents very early and he grew up far away from his homeland in Atarnaea of Troad. His father, Nicomachos, was also a famous doctor (member of the Asklipiads doctors guild and personal doctor and friend of Amyntas III, king of Macedon and father of king Philip II) and he intended Aristotle for successor of his professional activity. This is justified considering that this was an epoch where the medical knowledge and methods were kept secret and bequeathed by the father in the son. But his father died when Aristotle was around 10 years old, so he didn’t follow the professional area of medicine.

After that, his uncle Proksenos undertook Aristotles guardianship and education and taught him Greek language, oratory and poetry. In 367 moved and settled in Athens (where he stayed for 20 years) and he was accepted in the Plato’s Academy at the age of 17, firstly as a student and then as a partner. There he met Plato and his attitude towards him was from the beginning critic and creative. In 347 left Athens and in the same year Plato dies. Together with Xenocrates moves to Assos (in Asia Minor), where he stayed for the next 3 years.

Right after he undertook the education of the 13 years old Alexander the Great and he decided to return to his birthplace, Stagera of Chalkidiki. In Athens returned at 334 and stayed there till 323, teaching at his famous “Lyceum”, a gymnasium which is located on the today’s Athens National Garden. At this time, 11 years after his teachers Plato death, he founds there, by the rich donations of Alexander the Great, this “Lyceum” the philosophical school named else “Paeripatitiki” which was constituted by great buildings and gardens. After Alexander’s death in 323, in Athens took the political power the anti-Macedonians, so Aristotle was forced to leave and he went to Chalkis (his mother's family estate).

Death

Aristotle died in 322 BC in Chalkis at the age of 63. He was buried next to his wife, according to his will.

External links

• Aristotle on Immigration, Diversity, and Democracy
• Aristotle: The Biopolitics of the Citizen-State, Part 1
• Aristotle: The Biopolitics of the Citizen-State, Part 2
• Aristotle: The Biopolitics of the Citizen-State, Part 3
• Aristotle: The Biopolitics of the Citizen-State, Part 4

Encyclopedias

• Ancient History Encyclopedia: Aristotle
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Aristotle
• Encyclopedia Britannica 1911 Edition: Aristotle
• Encyclopedia.com: Aristotle (384 BCE–322 BCE)
• Encyclopedia.com: Aristotle: Tradition and Influence