ARISTOTLE (322-384 BC)

The scientific revolution which Galileo caused was based on Aristotle concepts of the scientific discovery. Who was Aristotle?, and what were his ideas? This you may find in this page.

Aristotle (Aristoteles in Greek) was one of the two most important philosophers of ancient times (the other was Plato).He was born in Stagira in the north of Greece in 367 BC. When he was 17 he went to study at Plato's Academy in Athens, where he remained as a student and teacher for 20 years. For three years he served as Alexander the Great's private tutor. In 335 Aristotle returned to Athens, where he founded his school, the Lyceum. In 323, after the death of Alexander the Great, Aristotle felt that Athens was dangerous and moved to Chalcis, where he died at the age of 62.

Aristotle was an active researcher in all areas of knowledge known to ancient Greece and was the founder of the Aristotelian school of philosophy - a school which has followers even to this day. Aristotle's scientific writings are the first methodical scientific writings. His writings on logic, metaphysics, ethics and political philosophy, shaped the entire history of Western philosophy.

For more than two thousand years, until the time of Galileo, Aristotle's theory was the basis for the study of astronomy and physics. His books, particularly the book - ARISTOTLE'S PHYSICS , served as a main source for "natural philosophers," and the Ptolemaic planetary theory, based on his astronomical theories, served as the basis of the study of the heavens.

(Aristotle's picture is from - GALILEI By J.Hemleben, p.79)