Good Example OF Aristotle And His Influence On Modern Society Research Paper

Education

Aristotle is one of the most famous philosophers and scientists from Greece. He remained from 384 B.C. to 322 B.C1. His birthplace was Stagira of Chalkidiki, which was located in the northern areas of the country. He has been assumed as one of the founding figures of Western philosophy. His father, Nicomachus, was a court physician to Amyntas II, who was Macedonian king. Nicomachus died in the childhood of Aristotle. Phaestis, who was mother of Aristotle, is also considered to have died in the early ages of Aristotle. However, Proxenus of Atarneus, who was the husband of Arimneste, elder sister of Aristotle, started taking care of Aristotle after the death of his father.
After mid of the second decade of his life, Aristotle began studying in the Plato’s Academy for higher education. That academy was located in Athens, which was considered as one of the most influential academic centers at that time. Aristotle was brilliant in his studies and gained a good level of popularity as a scholar at that time. He maintained contacts and relations with Plato in spite of some contradictions in thoughts. Plato left the world in 347 B.C., but Aristotle didn’t become the director of his academy due to those contradictions of thoughts. Aristotle moved to the court of Hermias, who was the king of Atarneus and Assos in Mysia, after the death of Plato. In Mysia, Aristotle met with Pythias, who became his first wife. Pythias was Hermias’ niece. They were blessed with a daughter, who was also named Pythias according to the name of her mother.
During 338 B.C., he began teaching Alexander the Great and guided him in many aspects of life. After the permission of Alexander the Great, Aristotle founded the school in Athens. That school was named as “Lyceum”. Aristotle started spending most of the time in that school. There, he remained busy in studying, teaching, and writing for the remaining part of his life. However, Aristotle got high level of disturbance after the death of Alexander the Great. It was the time of collapse of pro-Macedonian government, and during that time, Aristotle was considered as a provocative scholar and was linked to immorality. He left Athens, so that he may get protection from prosecution. After that he remained in Chalcis located on the island of Euboea till his death.

Influence of Aristotle on modern society

Aristotle had nearly 200 works at the time of his death and most of them were done in the Lyceum. It has been considered that approximately 30 of his works are present at this time2. His works range from theory to practical, and can be categorized in different ways, which have helped the modern society in different fields of life and science. “Organon” was among his works that can be considered as a logical tool for studying philosophy and science, and investigating their different aspects. He theorized different topics in biology, physics, and metaphysics. On the other side, among most of his practical works, the “Nicomachean Ethics” and “Politics” have established the nature of human flourishing in a high level of detail. He also presented the “Rhetoric” and “Poetics” that are considered as the refined conclusions of productivity related to human beings.
Aristotle has a unique style of studying and teaching that made him one of the highly influential personalities in the world. He was a dynamic kind of scholar, whose views and thoughts are constantly influencing the world since his life. He has influence on virtually every aspect of our life: science, law, politics, art, ethics, and the functioning of human subject. He is considered as among the first scholars, who presented the formal study of logic and reasoning that became the foundation of modern day research and investigation. He had also presented the classification of animals that has helped modern researchers to classify the animals better. He presented the just division of political power that gave the idea of “checks and balances”. In the field of metaphysics, his opinions and thoughts greatly influenced the theological and philosophical perspectives in the different traditions such as those of Islamic and Jewish in the Middle Ages. Those thoughts are still influencing the Christian theology. Aristotle has also influenced the modern history and conceptions of childhood. His works and teachings have told us about different ways of dealing with children3.
His followers named him as Ille Philosophus (The Philosopher)4. However, he is considered as more a scientist than a philosopher as compared to Socrates and Plato5. Many of his followers accepted every word and saying of Aristotle that is not in direct contradiction of the Bible. One thing is certain, and that is the active nature of Aristotle leading to his active and dynamic works. Due to a large number of contributions by Aristotle, it could be difficult to present the full account of his works in a single document. Overall, philosophy of Aristotle has such a dynamic nature that it is still in the active academic study.

Bibliography

Dunn, PM. "Aristotle (384–322 Bc): Philosopher and Scientist of Ancient Greece." Archives of Disease in Childhood-Fetal and Neonatal Edition 91, no. 1. 2006.
Grant, E. Science and Religion, 400 B.C. To A.D. 1550: From Aristotle to Copernicus. Greenwood Press, 2004.
Hiebel, F. The Gospel of Hellas: The Mission of Ancient Greece and the Advent of Christ. Anthroposophic Press, 1949.
Stables, A., and A. Haynes. Childhood and the Philosophy of Education: An Anti-Aristotelian Perspective. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2008.
Wall, J.K. To Be an Agnostic: An Agnostic Approach to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. iUniverse, 2009.