Aristotle Essay, Research Paper

Aristotle was one of the most influential thinkers in western culture, and a

Greek philosopher, teacher, and scientist. He was probably the most scholarly

and learned of the ancient Greek Philosophers. Aristotle mastered the entire

development of Greek though before him and employed this knowledge in his

writings. He criticized, summarized, and furthered the development of the Greek

philosophies. Aristotle, along with his teacher Plato, are the two most

important Greek Philosophers. Aristotle was born in Satagira, a small town in

Greece. Aristotle?s father worked as a personal physician for the grandfather

of Alexander The Great. Both of Aristotle?s parents died when he was a boy, he

was then raised by a guardian. When Aristotle was about eighteen years old, he

entered Plato?s school in Athens known as the Academy. He trained there for

twenty years. Plato dubbed Aristotle as the brightest student in the Academy and

called him the ?reader?. When Plato died in 347 B.C., Aristotle left the

Academy to join a group of Plato?s followers. While there, Aristotle married a

young woman named Pithias. Around 342 B.C., PhilipII, invited Aristotle to

supervise the education of his young son Alexander. Alexander later conquered

all of Greece, ran one of the most powerful empires, and became known as

Alexander The Great. Aristotle was Alexander?s sole teacher until the youth

succeeded his father?s throne in 336 B.C. In 334 B.C., Aristotle founded his

own school in Athens called the Lyceum. In 323 B.C., Aristotle was accused of

lack of reverence towards the gods by the Athenians. To avoid the death

sentence, he fled to the city of Chalcis where he died a year later. After his

death, Aristotle?s philosophy was continued to be taught at the Lycuem by his

successors. Aristotle?s philosophy spread to Rome in 155 B.C. giving Romans

their first contact with Greek philosophy. Aristotle?s philosophy was then

lost until its rebirth in the 1100?s, where it was introduced to the Christian

culture of western Europe. Aristotle philosophy was basically the opposite of

his teacher Plato?s. Aristotle believed that the artist is a creator, that the

artist improves on an original design. Aristotle also believes that Imitation is

necessary. Aristotle used Homeopathic Psychology which is to expose the good to

the bad to purge the bad. Aristotle did not abandon his mentor?s ideas he only

improved on them. Aristotle?s philosophy influenced a countless number of

people since its birth. He was responsible for the tutelage of Alexander The

Great, he Influenced much of Europe in its early stages, and he even affected

the beginnings of the modern Christian culture. Aristotle was definitely one of

the most influential Greek Philosophers of all time.