Aristotle was a Greek philosopher born in -384 to Stagira today called Stavros located in Macedonia in northern Greece today. The writings that have survived on his biography, dating back several centuries after his death. Aristotle lived during the decline of Athenian democracy, so that Macedonia (region of Greece which is the biggest part) becomes a rising political power. Aristotle is a philosopher, scientist, pioneer of modern science, based on verification by observation. This man of science is one of the founders of our civilization. Aristotle was interested in the arts, philosophy, politics, biology, anatomy, natural history and science in general. Aristotle was the son of Nicomachus, physician to King Amyntas II of Macedonia. His mother, Phaestis, was a midwife from the island of Evia. He spent his childhood with his stepfather at 11 years because he lost his father and his mother. Raised by his brother-in Proxenus Atarneus at Atarneus in Mysia. At age 17 he entered Plato's Academy. Aristotle and Plato is brilliant entitles him to teach, mostly rhetoric. He stayed 20 years at the Academy until Plato's death. It is Plato, but critical, he opposed the theory of ideas, dear to Plato. Hence the famous phrase: "Friend of Plato, but more of the truth. " Aristotle said: "They are friends who introduced the doctrine of Ideas. (...) Truth and friendship we cherish and the other one, but it is our sacred duty to give preference to the truth. " | | On the death of Plato, -346, Aristotle left for Atarneus with two classmates, Theophrastus and Xenocrates, fleeing Athens increasingly hostile to the Macedonians. In -343, Aristotle returned to Macedonia, called by King Philip II and became the tutor of the crown prince, the future Alexander the Great, who was 13 years. He will teach him letters and politics. -341 To he married Pythias, niece and adopted daughter of Hermias of Atarneus with whom he has a daughter, Pithia. When Philip II of Macedonia submits Athens, -338, Aristotle returned to Athens. It is his classmate Xenocrates, who took over the -339 direction of the Academy of Athens. Aristotle disappointed, then founded his third school, the Lyceum (location adjacent to a sanctuary dedicated to Apollo Lycian), funded by Alexander the Great. Widowed, he married a second wife Stagira, Herpyllis, which gives him a son he named Nicomachus, like his father. On the death of Alexander the Great, in -323, Aristotle, threatened by the anti-Macedonian party of Demosthenes, fled Athens. It is -322, Chalcis, city of his mother, on the island of Evia, Aristotle died at the age of 63. Image: Aristotle, from Diogenes Laertius, is small, stocky and small eyes sunken. He has no beard, but wears jewelry and fine linen. Aristotle believed that the stars are placed on crystal spheres. | | |
"He made an infinite number of books, which I thought fit to give the catalog here, given the rare genius that he has made in all genres" Diogenes Laertius. Aristotle wrote a great many books and letters on very different fields such as: Justice, Poets, Philosophy, Politics, Rhetoric, Sophist, Love, Wealth, the Exhortation, Poverty, Soul, Prayer, Nobility, Pleasure, royalty, Education , the Good, Plato's Laws, the Constitution, Economics, Friendship, Patience, Science, Dispute, discussion topics, Divisions sophisticated, opposites, ideas and genres, memoirs argumentative , Virtue, Anger, Ethics, Elements, Science, Things divisible, the Movement, the subjects of controversy, Method, Mathematics, Beauty, Friendship, things fair, Art, the size, nature, living beings, composed Animals, Animals of the fable, Plants, Art of Medicine, the Monad, the signs of storms, Astronomy, Optics, Music, mechanics, Tragedy, The Force of Law, Laws, interpretation, the constitutions of cities, democratic constitutions aristocratic oligarchic and tyrannical... | | Image: Greek Macedonia (green) is the largest of the ten regions of Greece. It goes from the center to the east to the Pindus range to the west and Mount Olympus in the South. | | |