Aristotle

Life and Influence of Aristotle

• Aristotle was born during the Classical period in Stagira, northern Greece, and was raised by a guardian after his father's death.
• At the age of 17 or 18, he joined Plato's Academy in Athens and remained there until Plato's death.
• After leaving Athens, Aristotle tutored Alexander the Great in Macedonia and established a library in Lyceum, producing numerous works.
• Despite writing extensively, only about a third of Aristotle's original works have survived, and not all were intended for publication.
• Aristotle's complex analysis provided a foundation for Western intellectual vocabulary, methods of inquiry, and problem-solving techniques.
• His thoughts have had a unique impact on knowledge in the West, shaping nearly every aspect of contemporary philosophical discourse.
• Aristotle's influence on physics expanded from ancient times through the early Middle Ages and the Renaissance until replaced by Newton's physics.
• Aristotle's contributions to biology included observations such as the reproductive arms of the octopus, which were previously disbelieved.
• He influenced early Christian and Islamic philosophy, particularly the early medieval Neoplatonism and the scholastic tradition of the Catholic Church.
• Among medieval Muslim scholars, Aristotle was known as "the first teacher."
• Aristotle's work challenged and influenced medieval and early modern Christian and Islamic intellectual traditions.
• His work also had a significant impact on the development of modern science and philosophy.