Aristotle (382-322 BC)

Historical Context

Era

Ancient Greece - The Classical Period

Location

Stagira -> Athens -> Asia Minor -> Pella -> Athens -> Chalcis

Major Historical Events

Social/Political Climate

Following a prosperous period in Greece, the period of time that Aristotle was alive was marked by significant change. The Macedonian Empire was on the rise, and the power of Athens was weakening. Within Athens itself, there was occasional anti-Macedonian sentiment. However unstable this region was, it brought about a great deal of intellectual activity. Plato’s academy and then Aristotle’s Lyceum were both founded during this time. Great advances in scientific, mathematical, and philosophical thought were made during this time - with far reaching implications for the future of Western thought.

Personal Background

Early Life

Aristole’s early life is not well documented. He was born in Stagira, a city in northern Greece. He was the son of Nichomachus, a physician to the court of Amyntas III, king of Macedon. Following the death of his parents, Aristotle was sent to Athens to study at Plato’s Academy. Here he studied for 20 years until the death of Plato, whereafter he left Athens and travelled around Asia Minor. It’s unclear whether Aristotle left Athens due to not being selected as Plato’s successor or due to political turmoil in Athens. Being from Macedon, Aristotle was not welcomed in Athens.

During his time in Asia Minor, Aristotle started making advances in the field of biology. Not long after, he was invited to Pella by the Macedonian king, Philip II, to tutor his son Alexander. His influence on Alexander is still debated but it is generally accepted that Aristotle had some influence on Alexander’s thought.

Following the death of Philip II, Aristotle went back to Athens and founded his own school, the Lyceum. It is here that he established his philosophical, scientific, and mathematical teachings. He wrote many works during his time in Lyceum, however, unfortunately, most of his works were lost to history. What mostly remained were treatises, i.e. lecture notes that were not written for publication.

Key Influences

Career/Life Path

Aristotle was a polymath, who made significant contributions to many fields, including:

Physics
Biology
Logic
Metaphysics
Ethics
Politics

Core Philosophical Contributions

Main Areas of Focus

Logic
Metaphysics
Ethics
Politics

Key Concepts

Aristotelian logic - Aristotle was one of the first to systematize logic. He was the first to develop a theory of syllogistic reasoning.
Four causes - Aristotle proposed that everything has a cause. He proposed that there were four causes: material, efficient, formal, and final.
Aristotle’s theory of universals or hylomorphism - Aristotle proposed that the material world is composed of two principles: form and matter; where matter is the object and form is the essence/nature that makes the object what it is.

Major Works

Historical Impact

Legacy

If we were to consider some of the greatest human heroes, Aristotle would be somewhere high up on that list. He was a polymath, who made timeless contributions, including been the first to develop:

Formal logic
Scientific method and the systematic classification of animals and plants
Virtue ethics framework
Hylomorphism

It’s worth noting that some of these contributions were the accepted norm until well into the 19th Century, particularly his work in formal logic. Some of his other work in hylomorphism have recently gained traction again in the fields of neuroscience and psychology.

Modern Relevance

Metaphysics - our understanding of the world and reality i.e nature of consciousness, existence of the soul, and the nature of reality
- Contributions to our understanding of consciousness and philosophy of mind.
- Revival of hylomorphism in neuroscience and psychology.
Epistemology - our understanding of knowledge and how we know things i.e the nature of knowledge, the sources of knowledge, and the extent of human knowledge
- Contributions to the scientific method.
- The role of experience vs reason in knowledge.
Logic and Reasoning
- Foundations of formal logic.
- Computer science and AI; particular the syllogistic reasoning that Aristotle developed.
Biology and Natural Sciences
- Systematic classification of animals and plants.
- Contributions to our understanding of the natural world.
- Holistic approach to biology.

Death and Final Years

After the second and final time Aristotle left Athens because of growing dissent against Macedon, he escaped to his mother’s hometown, Chalcis. Aristotle died of natural causes within a year of his arrival.

Plato (Teacher)
Heraclitus (Influence) - Influenced his concept of natural philosophy.
Parmenides (Influence) - Influenced his metaphysical thinking.
Immanuel Kant (Influence) - Built upon his work in formal logic.

Last Updated: 13.11.24

Philosophy Profiles #3: Aristotle