Aristotle Life • born in 384 BCE. at Stagirus, a Greek colony and seaport on the coast of Thrace. • father Nichomachus, court physician to King Amyntas of Macedonia • Aristotle's long associated with the Macedonian Court, iluenced his life • father died when Aristotle was 17 • guardian, Proxenus, sent him to Athens, the intellectual center of the world, to complete his education • joined Plato’s Academy and studied under him, attending his lectures for a period of twenty years • began to lecture on rhetoric • Plato died in 347, but Aristotle was not designated to lead Academy • divergence from Plato's teaching was too great, Plato's nephew Speusippus was chosen instead • left for friend Hermeas court (ruler of Atarneus and Assos in Mysia) • stayed 3 years, married Pythias, the niece of the King • married a second time to Herpyllis later; she bore him, Nichomachus • Hermeas was overtaken by the Persians, and Aristotle went to Mytilene • At the invitation of Philip of Macedonia he became the tutor of his 13 year old son Alexander (later world conqueror) though his philosophy focused on the polis and Alexander embraced the vision of a cosmopolis. • he did this for the next five years • Philip and Alexander appear to have paid Aristotle high honor, and there were stories that Aristotle was supplied by the Macedonian court, not only with funds for teaching, but also with thousands of slaves to collect specimens for his studies in natural science. These stories are probably false and certainly exaggerated. • Upon the death of Philip, Alexander succeeded to the kingship and prepared for his subsequent conquests • Aristotle's work was finished, and he returned to Athens • Platonism was then the dominant philosophy of Athens • he set up his own school: the Lyceum • walked about as he discoursed = peripatetics, meaning "to walk about." • 13 yrs teaching and composing philosophical treatises • sudden death of Alexander in 323 BCE., pro-Macedonian government in Athens overthrown; general reaction against anything Macedonian • Aristotle charged with impiety • to escape prosecution he fled to Chalcis in Euboea • "The Athenians might not have another opportunity of sinning against philosophy as they had already done in the person of Socrates." • In the first year of his residence at Chalcis he complained of a stomach illness and died in 322 BCE • Greece uncovers 'holy grail' of Greek archaeology • Nation euphoric over discovery of the Lyceum • January 16, 1997 Web posted at: 11:30 p.m. EST (0430 GMT) ATHENS (CNN) -- Excavators in Greece say they've stumbled across the Lyceum, the school where Aristotle taught his pupils science and philosophy 2,500 years ago. • In essence, it's the birthplace of Western modern science and philosophy. It was here that Aristotle exalted the virtues of a sound mind and body to his pupils. • "We are very, very happy. This is a very, very important discovery. We have now, here, in Athens, the main proof about the historical continuity of the Hellenic cultural heritage," said Greek Cultural Minister Venizelos Evangelos. • Considered the holy grail of Greek archaeology, the Lyceum was discovered by crews preparing for the construction of a new Museum of Modern Art. • "Aristotle stands at the foundation of modern European science and a great deal of European philosophical thought, and so it's extremely exciting just to know where Aristotle would have been walking, when he was teaching, what kind of rooms he would have been teaching in," said Dr. Jeremy Tanner, of the London Institute of Archaeology. • For 170 years, since Greeks gained independence from the Turks, they have scoured the landscape to find the birthplace of Western civilization. • In addition to prompting national euphoria, the find enables archaeologists and historians to understand the entire layout of ancient Athens. • The Associated Press contributed to this report. Background to Political Teachings • Aristotle’s works are grounded in Greek traditions, and he acknowledged those with whom he disagreed in search of objective truth and validity. • Aristotle advised us “to love Socrates, to love Plato, but to love the truth more. • Aristotle’s political philosophy focused on the smallcity state as the necessary arena for human excellences. Aristotle’s Division of the Three Sciences Theoretical Practical Productive Knowledge of rational Contemplation of production or the things that are Knowledge of things science of making, permanent and cannot that can be “otherwise” producing things. be “otherwise.” In the or variable given theoretical sciences, human freedom, Example: understanding is choice, and technological knowpursued for its own circumstance. how, carpentry, pottery. sake. The productive Example: politics, sciences result in the Example: metaphysics ethics. making of some and logic. “product.” The Six Forms of Regimes Number of Rulers Rule Serving the Common Good Rule Serving Private Interest or Those Who Rule One Kingship or monarchy Tyranny Few Aristocracy Oligarchy Many Polity Democracy The Best Possible Regime Continued • The best regime could be an actual regime. • The polity would be the practically best regime since it was a mixed regime that included aristocratic and democratic elements. • Envy and greed are balanced in the mixed regime. • The mature man, spoudaios, plays a role in balancing these forces through the practice of the practical virtue of prudence. The Best Possible Regime Continued • A large middle class is also an important feature of the best regime. – The middle class would be a golden mean between the masses (envy) and the oligarchs (greed). • The mixed regime was favored by Cicero, Polybius, Aquinas, Montesquieu, and the American founders. NATURE IS THE REAL WORLD... For Aristotle, "Nothing exists in the mind that has not first been experienced by the senses." Simply, "There is no such thing as a separate world of ideas." CAUSALITY IN NATURE THERE ARE ALWAYS 4 CAUSES OF A THING: 1. Material Cause - material component 2. Efficient Cause - that which makes the thing (external agent) 3. Formal Cause - that which makes a thing what it is 4. Final cause - purpose for which the thing is made. CAUSALITY IN NATURE Example: RAIN 1. Material Cause - moisture 2. Efficient Cause - cooling air 3. Formal Cause - form or nature of water - to fall to the earth 4. Final Cause - its purpose is to nourish the earth and its dwellers.* In modern thought the efficient cause is generally considered the central explanation of a thing, but for Aristotle the final cause had primacy. EVERYTHING CAN BE • Every object falls under a broader category and a CATEGORIZED certain subcategory • This also applies in the sciences • Science is divided into different branches and that such branches are parts of one coherent whole. • Physics • Biology • Psychology • Logic • Ethics • Politics • Metaphysics LOGIC • One of Aristotle's major contribution to human knowledge • Found in his Organon • Logic is an instrument used for organizing our thoughts • based on correlation of terms LOGIC • ex. (Syllogism) • All creatures are mortals • Gloria is a creature • Gloria is a mortal • Clear thinking that leads to a definitely true conclusion. Plato & Aristotle in General True Knowledge is found “above”, in the world of ideas. True Knowledge is found “here”, in the world of things.
