Aristotle

Aristotle is one of the famous philosophers in ancient Greek philosophy, along with Plato and Socrates. Aristotle was born in the small Greek town of Stagiros in the northern Greek district of Chalcidice. Influenced by his father, the physician Nicomachus, Aristotle developed an early interest in science. Aristotle spent nearly 20 years at Plato's Academy, first as a student and then as a teacher. As a student of Plato he formed a love of philosophy and logic. After Plato's death he traveled widely and educated a famous student, Alexander the Great. After Alexander became king, Aristotle returned to Athens, where he founded his own school, known as the Lyceum. It was also known as the Peripatetic ("walking around") school, because students followed Aristotle as he walked in the garden.

Alexander the Great became his patron, funding his work and arranging for Aristotle to receive samples of plants and animals from all corners of the Alexandrian empire. Ancient scholars gave as many as 400 theories to Aristotle, surrounding all knowledge in ancient times about the universe. About 30 have survived and these are thought to have been collected by his students. Aristotle is known for his carefully detailed observations about nature and the physical world, which laid the groundwork for the modern study of biology. Among his works are the texts Physics, Metaphysics, Rhetoric and Ethics. His earliest writings, consisting for the most part of dialogues, were produced under the influence of Plato and the Academy. Most of these are lost, although the titles are known from the writings of Diogenes Laertius and from one of several philosephers to come down from old times. These were simple works written for the public, and they deal with popular philosophical themes. Aristotle not only studied almost every subject possible at the time, but made significant contributions to most of them. In physical science, Aristotle studied anatomy, astronomy, economics, embryology, geography, geology, meteorology, physics and zoology. In philosophy, he wrote on aesthetics, ethics, government, metaphysics, politics, psychology, rhetoric and theology. He also studied education, foreign customs, literature and poetry. His combined works constitute a virtual encyclopedia of Greek knowledge. It has been suggested that Aristotle was likely the last person to know everything there was to be known in his own time. Upon Alexander's death in