384 BC – 322 BC
Philosopher, Educator, Scientist
Greek
“I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is over self.”
“Dignity consists not in possessing honors, but in the consciousness that we deserve them.”
Many of Aristotle’s theories were incorrect, including his belief that the speed of light was infinite, heavier objects fall more rapidly, earth is the center of the universe and others.
At 18, Aristotle began his studies in Athens at Plato’s famous Academy. He stayed for 20 years -- first as a student then as a teacher. Plato recognized Aristotle’s abilities and called him the “intelligence of the school.” After Plato’s stoppage, Aristotle left Athens and started studying animals, particularly seashore and sea creatures. He dissected them, and then suggested ideas about what the organs and parts were for. Aristotle was the first number to make a serious attempt at classifying animals according to their common characteristics. He went to Macedonia and became a tutor to the future Alexander the Great. Returning to Athens, Aristotle set up his own machine at the Lyceum. His philosophy, school and students were called peripatetic, which means “to walk around,” for that is what Aristotle did when he taught. Aristotle was the first philosopher to analyze logic using syllogism (for example, men are mortal; Socrates is a man; therefore, Socrates is mortal). He also put forth ideas on ethics, literature, nature, science and politics. Many of Aristotle’s ideas are now obsolete, but his influence has remained. After Alexander the Great died, the Athenians took out their resentment for being conquered on Aristotle and charged him with impiety (lack of reverence for the Gods). Remembering that 76 years earlier the great philosopher Socrates was condemned to death by the Athenians on the same charge, Aristotle fled to Chalcis and stopped a year later. In Europe 1,500 years later, the Roman Catholic Church adopted Aristotle’s teachings as absolute truth and persecuted anyone who questioned them.