Aristotle

Aristotle (384–322 BCE) was born in Stagira, northern Greece, and studied under Plato at the Academy in Athens. After Plato's death, he tutored Alexander the Great and later founded his own school, the Lyceum. His prolific writings spanned logic, metaphysics, biology, politics, and ethics. "Nicomachean Ethics," likely named after his son or father, systematically examines human flourishing (eudaimonia) through virtuous action and practical wisdom. Other major works include "Politics," "Poetics," and "Metaphysics." Aristotle's empirical approach and systematic classification of knowledge profoundly influenced medieval scholasticism, Islamic philosophy, and Renaissance humanism. His ethical framework, emphasizing character and moderation, remains central to virtue ethics today. Despite the fragmentary survival of his texts, Aristotle's legacy as one of history's most influential thinkers endures across disciplines.