|
Born: c. 384 BCE in Stagira, Macedonia Died: c. 322 BCE Biography: Aristotle was an ancient Greek philosopher whose work has been extremely important to the development of both western philosophy and western theology. He had a wide-ranging career, working both in Athens and other cities, even spending three years as a private tutor for Alexander the Great. He was Plato's student for some 17 years and later started his own academy in Athens, the Lyceum. Very little of what we have appears to have been published by Aristotle himself. Instead, we have notes from his school, much of which were created by his students during the time Aristotle taught. It has traditionally been thought that Aristotle started out in agreement with Plato and gradually moved away from his ideas, but recent research suggests just the opposite. In his Organon and similar works, Aristotle develops a comprehensive system of logic and reasoning for addressing problems of logic, being and reality. In Physics, Aristotle investigates the nature of causation and, hence, our ability to explain what we see and experience. In Metaphysics (which got its name not from Aristotle, but from a later librarian who needed a title for it and, because it was shelved following Physics, got the name After-Physics), Aristotle engages in a very abstract discussion of being and existence in his attempts to justify his other work on causation, experience, etc. In Eudemian Ethics, among other works, Aristotle explores the nature of ethical conduct, arguing that an ethical life involves achieving happiness and that happiness is best achieved through rational thought and contemplation.
Approximate Word count = 1056
Approximate Pages = 4.2
(250 words per page double spaced)
|
|
