Aristotle

Aristotle of Stageira “The Stagirite” a Greek philosopher a student of Plato the teacher of Alexander the Great
Aristotle established his own school Luceum. He conducted courses at the school for 12 years
The divisions of Aristotelian philosophy
His writings cover many subjects: physics metaphysics poetry logic rhetoric politics ethics biology
In physical science, Aristotle studied anatomy astronomy embryology geography geology meteorology physics zoology
In philosophy, he wrote on aesthetics ethics metaphysics politics psychology theology
“All science is either practical, poetical or theoretical“
• By practical science, he means ethics and politics
• By poetical science, he means the study of poetry and the other fine arts
• By theoretical science, he means physics mathematics, and metaphysics
Aristotle established Logic as a formal discipline and gave it a fundamental place in philosophy
Logic is the philosophical study of valid reasoning Aristotle's philosophical method has the strong empirical orientation
The problem of the nature of universals and their relation to particulars
All the things around us, all substances, are composites of two radically different things: form and matter
Matter is the basis of all that exists; it comprises the potentiality of everything, but of itself is not actually anything
The matter of the substance is the substratum or the stuff of which it is composed,
e.g. the matter of the house are the bricks, stones etc., or whatever constitutes the potential house
A determinate thing only comes into being when the potentiality in matter is converted into actuality. This is effected by form.
Matter is the source of imperfection, indetermination, passivity and of all the limitations and privations of a thing.
Form is the source of perfection determinateness activity and of all positive qualities
Aristotle did not accept Plato's theory of common essences, or universal ideas, existing independently of