Aristotle

Aristotle: An Encyclopedic Approach to Philosophy

Philosophy is the Root of all Thought

  1. Historical Background:

    1. Dates: 384-322 BCE

    2. Family:

      1. Parents:

          a. Nicomachus (physician of Amyntas II of Macedonia)

          b. Phaestis

      2. Wives:

          a. Pythias

          b. Herpyllis (a concubine)

      3. Children:

          a. Nicomachus (by Herpyllis)

          b. Pythias (by Pythias)

  2. Life and Work:

    1. Education - Plato's Academy (c. 367)

    2. The Ascension of Speusippus � (347)

      Note: With the ascension of Speusippus Aristotle quit Athens for a school of Platonists at Assos under the patronage of Hermias, Tyrant of Atarneus.

      1. Study at Assos

      2. Study at Lesbos

    3. Appointed Tutor of Alexander by Philip II (342)

    4. Created the Lyceum at Athens (336)

      Note: Aristotle's school is often called "peripatetic" because he liked to walk up and down in the Lyceum as he lectured. Thus, "thinking out loud" came to be associated with Aristotelians.

    5. Exile to Chalcis (323)

  3. Contributions:

    1. Exhaustive works -

    2. Philosophy can be divided into two parts �

      1. Theoretical

      2. Practical

    3. Most significant influence on Western thought after Plato -

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