Aristotle Flashcards, test questions and answers
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What is Aristotle?
Aristotle is often considered one of the most influential philosophers in the Western tradition. His works on various topics such as politics, metaphysics, ethics and more have had a lasting impact on how we think about and approach these areas today. Aristotle was born in 384 BC in Stagira, Greece. He was sent to Athens at the age of 17 to study at Plato’s Academy. After Plato’s death he moved to Assos, where he established his own school, the Lyceum. As well as philosophy, Aristotle focused his studies on zoology and biology; he wrote a number of works that are still widely studied today such as The History of Animals and Parts Of Animals.In politics, Aristotle is best known for his work The Politics wherein he explored the nature of justice and power in society. He argued that humans ought to live together according to certain laws which should be based upon reason and virtue rather than wealth or birthright. He also opposed slavery and believed strongly in democracy (provided it was practiced responsibly). He believed that there were three types of constitutions monarchy (rule by one), aristocracy (rule by few) and polity (rule by many). His views remain influential today among political theorists who use them as a basis for their own theories. In ethics Aristotle is best known for his concept of the golden mean which states that moral virtue lies between two extremes too much or too little of something can be bad while having just enough would be good; thus courage lies between foolhardiness and cowardice while temperance lies between indulgence and abstinence etcetera. This idea has been used throughout history by moralists looking for guidance on how to lead a good life not only ethically but also aesthetically since it encompasses both physical beauty (balance) as well as ethical behaviour (moderation). Overall then, it can easily be seen why Aristotle is considered such an important figure in philosophy even today; his works have inspired generations after him with their timeless wisdom about human nature, morality and social order.