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Ana Jimenez
Alexander Izrailvsky
Intro to Philosophy
Nov. 21, 2014
e-Portfolio: http://anajimenezeportfolio.weebly.com/
The Naturalist: Aristotle (384-322 B.C.E)
Aristotle was born in Stagira, a Greek community in Thrace. He was son of Nicomahus, a
court physician, to the Macedonian king Amyntas II. Aristotle’s father died when he was a young
boy, and it is believed that Aristoteles mother Phaestis, also died when Aristotole was young.
Proxenus of Atarneus, who was married to Aristotle’s older sister, Arimneste, became guardian
of Aristotle until the day Aristotle turned eighteen and was sent to study at Plato’s Academy in
Athens. At the time Athens was highly respected and was said to be the academic center of the
universe. Once at the academy Aristotle was instantly noticed and was said to have been dandy
with a “deliberate lisp”. At Plato’s academy Aristotle earned a reputation as one of the finest
students and it is even known that Plato would fool around saying that his academy was made
up of two things: The body of his students, and the brain of Aristotle.
It is no secret that Aristotle highly respected Plato, but that didn’t mean that he
completely agreed with him. It is recognized that Aristotle would completely challenge Plato’s
philosophical matters on important subjects, but despite the disagreements when Plato died it is
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said that Aristotle built an altar for his beloved teachers’ death. After the death of Plato, Aristotle
was thirty seven and was expected to be the next master of the Academy. But because Aristotle
had disagreed with some of Plato’s important philosophies and was seen as a foreigner, they
choose a native Athenian to take over Plato’s Academy.
After some time Aristotle married Pythias. Pythias died giving birth to their daughter who
was also named Pythias in respect for his wife. Later in Aristoteles life, he met a woman named
Herpyllis who he lived with, but Aristotle never forgot Pythias and asked that he be buried next
to her bones. While living with Herpyllis, she later had a son of Aristotle’s named Nicomachus,
to whom he dedicated his work Nicomachean Ethics.
In 343 B.C.E, there was a thirteen year old boy named Alexander, son of King Phillip of
Macedon. Aristotle was invited to become Alexander’s professor and educate him. It is known to
have been rough at the beginning of Aristotle’s and Alexander’s relationship, but with some time
those rough patches were smoothed out and Aristotle was able to show Alexander the beauty of
knowledge and science. Alexander was later known as Alexander the Great.
To show
appreciation towards his teacher, Alexander would send his soldiers off to collect specimens for
Aristotle.
Later in life Aristotle founded his own school with help from Alexander the Great.
Aristoteles School was named after the god Apollo Lyceus. The Lyceum was built in Athens, with
a beautiful surrounding. The students at Lyceum were knows as the “Peripatetic” which can be
defined as “people who travel about”. They were often spotted taking a stroll with Aristotle
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through the tree covered walkways called the Peripatos. The Lyceum was also unique in the fact
that Aristotle created his school for middle class boys and girls.
Aristotle was one of the earliest scientist, it is known that science was one of the greatest
subjects he studies when he was at the Lyceum. As one of the earliest scientific philosophers,
Aristotle revealed to the human world what could be known to modern time as the scientific
method which consists of the point. Aristotle describes it like this. . .

Using observation and experimentation to collect all relevant facts

Using analysis to find out the laws of those facts

Using logic, to combine those laws into a comprehensive theory
Aristotle was known as the naturalist, for his philosophy is based on nature. Going back
to Plato, Aristotle talks about one of Plato’s greatest philosophies; the kingdom of Eidoses.
Aristotle states that the “Eidos” does not exist, only nature exist. Plato evaluates this life by
comparing it to some ideal standard, while Aristotle disagrees and believes that nature is the sum
total of all physical things. Aristotle’s philosophy is set on the belief that reality consist on nature,
and we cannot be trapped on some supernatural standard, but focus on nature and on actual
things.
As Aristotle was one of the first philosophers to acknowledge that not all “why” questions
can be answered the same way. He began his philosophy called The Four Causes. The four causes
consist on Material Cause, Formal Cause, Efficient Cause, and Final Cause. Material cause refers
to the material. As an example we use wood. Why it is that wood becomes a bed rather than the
wood to become a chair? Simply identifying the material does not explain why the bed or chair
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exist. Formal cause explains that until the wood it made into a particular thing, say a table, it will
remain as wood until it is formed into a table. In efficient cause we ask ourselves, why do we
form it to become something like a table, bed, and chair? Who begins the process and why?
Aristotle describes this “triggering” characteristic as the efficient cause; because what causes
activity, is what makes the subject to come about. The final cause is the activity taking place for
a purpose. Aristotle calls this purpose telos.
Aristotle believed that every physical thing consists of hyle and telos. The hyle can be
described as the body, while the telos is known as the form. Going further into telos, Aristotle
defines it as being the inner form of physical things, a genetic code, a final goal and a purpose for
existence.
Entelechy is seen as things that don’t just occur out of nowhere, but happen for a reason
because it all has a purpose. For Aristotle entelechy was a “creative drive”. He explains that
nature gives an apple the purpose to create more apple trees. But what insures that the apple
will not be picked and eaten before it has the chance to make of itself an apple tree? Aristotle
explains that humans may fail to achieve their own entelechy, because of this we may never
bloom into our true identities. Therefore never for filling our telos.
There are three kinds of souls that Aristotle describes. Each higher level containing the
lower level elements, while the lower levels don’t contain the higher lever elements.

Lowest level: vegetative – minimal level of life

Second level: sensitive – gathers information of things without becoming those
things
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
Highest level: rational – capacities for analysis, understanding, and making reason
Eudaimonia is translated into happiness. What does it mean to live a “happy life”, for
Aristotle to live a happy life you need to have a noble destiny? Not to expect a wealthy lifestyle
but a moderate living. For Aristotle the good is “that at which all things aim.” Happiness requires
activity, good habits, and practical wisdom.
Sophrosyne can be translated into moderation. Being too much or too little of anything
can cause abnormality. Aristotle wishes that everyone evolves into their perfect self being, their
true self, but when moderation is not applied, Aristotle believes that this is why we fall away from
our destiny and we don’t fulfill our telos.
When Aristotle wrote the book “Nicomachean Ethics”. Not only was the book named after
his son Nicomachean, but he also based it on his own moral philosophy which consist of:

Endaimonia which can be translated to- noble destiny

Noble destiny – the goal of morality is not to strive for happiness, but it is to strive
for a noble destiny

Sophrosyne - moderation

Keep the mean

No excuses

Have good taste

Fulfill your telos

Don’t overestimate circumstances

Every betrayal starts with one self-betraying his or herself
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
Build your character

Your character is the sum total of your habits

Friendship is the noblest human relationship there can be

The most authentic friendship is built upon shared love for philosophy
All these points put together form what Aristotle sees as, a “perfect gentleman.”
When politics comes into play, Aristotle has three statements that are an important part
of his philosophy. They are . . .

Democracy is the best political regime

Democracy is the power of the middle class

The middle class is the foundation of a healthy society
In 322 B.C., Aristotle contracted a disease of the digestive organs and died. His
philosophy is still taught today. Aristotle will continue to be known as the naturalist, one of the
first applied scientist and Greek philosopher.
“In a democracy the poor will have more power than the rich, because there are more
of them, and the will of the majority is supreme”.
-Aristotle
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Sources :

Archetypes of Wisdom by: Douglas J. Soccio

http://www.biography.com/people/aristotle-9188415#major-writings

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/34560/Aristotle/33163/The-Lyceum

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/34560/Aristotle/33163/The-Lyceum