Aristotle was born 384BC at Stagira, in Macedonia. He died in 322BC because of a digestive ailment, at the age of 63. At the age of 17, Aristotle went to Athens to study at Plato's Academy. He stayed there for the next 20 years, as a student and then as a teacher. Aristotle also went to Pella, the Macedonian capital where he became a tutor for the King's 13-year-old son, later known as Alexander the Great. When Alexander became king, Aristotle returned to Athens, where he established his own school, called the Lyceum, in 335BC. During Aristotle's earliest years at Piato's Academy he wrote some short technical notes, such as a dictionary of philosophic terms. Also, Aristotle wrote ledture notes for carefully outlined courses treating almost every branch of knowledg and art. It is said that the influence of Aristotle's philosophy has helped shaped the modern language and common sense of people today.
Aristotle had many views towards science. He believed that the earth was the center of the unverse and made up of four elements: earth, water, air, and fire. He also believed that the sun, moon, and stars were perfect and divine and were made up of a fifth element called ether. In Aristotle's physics each of these four elements has a proper place, determined by its relative heaviness, it's "Specific Gravity". Each of these elements would move naturally in a stright line earth down, fire up-towards it's proper place where it would be at rest. "Aristotle also regarded that the world is made up of individuals (substances) occurring in fixed natural kinds (species). Each individual has it's built in specific pattern of development and grows toward proper self-realization as a specimen of it's type. Growth, purpose, and direction are thus built into nature. Although, these kinds find there existence in particular individuals," said by Franklin C. Baer. Finally, in zoology, which means the study of animals, Aristotle though some "very-low" worms and flies come from royying fruit or manure by "spontaneous generation".
Aristotle contributed to science many times throughout his life. One of the most distinctive of Aistotle's philosophic contributions was a new notion of causality. Each thing or event, he thought, has more then one "reason" that helps to exlpain what, why, and where it is. Earier Greek thinkers have tend to assume that only one sort of cause can really be explanatory; Aristotle proposed four. These four causes are: the material cause, the matter out of which a thing is made; the efficient cause, the source of motion, generation, or change; the formal cause, which is the species, kind, or type; and the final cause, the goal, or full development, of an individual, or the intended function of a construction or invention. Among the text there are treaties on logic, called Organon (instrument), because they provide the means by which postive knowledge is to be attained. His work on natural science include physics, which gives a vast amount of information on astronomy, meteorology, plants, and animals. His writings on the nature, scope, and properities of being, which Aristotle called First Philosophy, were givent he title Metaphysics in the published edition of his works, because in that edition they followed physics. His treatment of the Prime Mover, or first cause, as pure intellect, perfect in unity, immutable, and, as he said, "the though", is given in the Metaphysics. Other essential works include his Rhetoric, his Poetics (which survives in incomplete form), and his politics (also incomplete).
Although Aristotle's political views were influnced by his teacher Plato, he is very critical of the ideal city-state set forth in Plato's Republic on the grounds that it overvalues political unity, it embraces a system of communism that is impractical and inimical to human nature, and neglects the happiness of the individual citizens.
There is very little information available on Aristotle's religion and ethnic background except that he followed the Greek religion at the time.
Aristotle grew up in historical times blessed with an influential family setting. His father was a court physian to the king of Macedon. As a young lad in Athens he studied at famous academies that were open to him due to his father connections. Greece in Aristotle's time was in a state of transformation. They considered themselves philosophers and thinkers. The rest of the continent was considered barbaric. Hence, Alexander the Greats invasion of the upevil and treasions, but also it was a time of scientific discoveries and philosophy.
Aristotle had many views towards science. He believed that the earth was the center of the unverse and made up of four elements: earth, water, air, and fire. He also believed that the sun, moon, and stars were perfect and divine and were made up of a fifth element called ether. In Aristotle's physics each of these four elements has a proper place, determined by its relative heaviness, it's "Specific Gravity". Each of these elements would move naturally in a stright line earth down, fire up-towards it's proper place where it would be at rest. "Aristotle also regarded that the world is made up of individuals (substances) occurring in fixed natural kinds (species). Each individual has it's built in specific pattern of development and grows toward proper self-realization as a specimen of it's type. Growth, purpose, and direction are thus built into nature. Although, these kinds find there existence in particular individuals," said by Franklin C. Baer. Finally, in zoology, which means the study of animals, Aristotle though some "very-low" worms and flies come from royying fruit or manure by "spontaneous generation".
Aristotle contributed to science many times throughout his life. One of the most distinctive of Aistotle's philosophic contributions was a new notion of causality. Each thing or event, he thought, has more then one "reason" that helps to exlpain what, why, and where it is. Earier Greek thinkers have tend to assume that only one sort of cause can really be explanatory; Aristotle proposed four. These four causes are: the material cause, the matter out of which a thing is made; the efficient cause, the source of motion, generation, or change; the formal cause, which is the species, kind, or type; and the final cause, the goal, or full development, of an individual, or the intended function of a construction or invention. Among the text there are treaties on logic, called Organon (instrument), because they provide the means by which postive knowledge is to be attained. His work on natural science include physics, which gives a vast amount of information on astronomy, meteorology, plants, and animals. His writings on the nature, scope, and properities of being, which Aristotle called First Philosophy, were givent he title Metaphysics in the published edition of his works, because in that edition they followed physics. His treatment of the Prime Mover, or first cause, as pure intellect, perfect in unity, immutable, and, as he said, "the though", is given in the Metaphysics. Other essential works include his Rhetoric, his Poetics (which survives in incomplete form), and his politics (also incomplete).
Although Aristotle's political views were influnced by his teacher Plato, he is very critical of the ideal city-state set forth in Plato's Republic on the grounds that it overvalues political unity, it embraces a system of communism that is impractical and inimical to human nature, and neglects the happiness of the individual citizens.
There is very little information available on Aristotle's religion and ethnic background except that he followed the Greek religion at the time.
Aristotle grew up in historical times blessed with an influential family setting. His father was a court physian to the king of Macedon. As a young lad in Athens he studied at famous academies that were open to him due to his father connections. Greece in Aristotle's time was in a state of transformation. They considered themselves philosophers and thinkers. The rest of the continent was considered barbaric. Hence, Alexander the Greats invasion of the upevil and treasions, but also it was a time of scientific discoveries and philosophy.
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