Aristotle (384–322 BCE) was a Greek philosopher, logician, and scientist. The founder of the science of logic, he made significant and lasting contributions to nearly every aspect of human knowledge. Aristotle is one of the most significant figures in philosophy—his achievement has been fundamental to the development of Western philosophy.
Born in the small Greek town of Stagiros, later Stagira, in Greek Macedonia, Aristotle joined Plato’s Academy at the age of 17. He remained there for 20 years, and even though his respect for Plato was always great, differences developed, which ultimately caused a rift.
After Plato’s death, Aristotle tutored the young Alexander the Great and founded the Lyceum school of philosophy outside Athens in 335 BCE. The Lyceum is the forerunner of modern educational and research institutions.
Aristotle is one of the most prominent thinkers in the history of Western thought. His work was fundamental to Islāmic and medieval Christian philosophy—in Arabic philosophy, he was known only as “The First Teacher;” and in the West, he was “The Philosopher.”
Aristotle produced a large number of writings, but comparatively few have survived. They cover nearly every branch of human knowledge—logic, ethics, metaphysics, politics, the weather, planetary motions, natural science, and physics. His principal works are the Organon (six treatises on logic and syllogism,) Politics (the conduct of the state,) Poetics (analysis of poetry and tragedy,) and Rhetoric.
Aristotle organized all the knowledge of his time into a coherent whole, which served as the basis for much of medieval science and philosophy. He espoused the principle of the golden mean (as did Confucius, independently) that the best path in life was the one between two extremes, or “moderation in all things.”
Following the decline of the Roman Empire, Aristotle was largely forgotten by the West. In the intervening time, he had a profound effect on the development of Islāmic philosophy. Islāmic scholarship eventually provided for medieval Christian scholasticism, and Aristotle’s scholarship was resurrected in particular through the work of Thomas Aquinas.
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The generality of men are naturally apt to be swayed by fear rather than reverence, and to refrain from evil rather because of the punishment that it brings than because of its own foulness.
—Aristotle
Topics: Punishment
It is possible to fail in many ways… while to succeed is possible only in one way.
—Aristotle
Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; the hardest victory is over self.
—Aristotle
Topics: Self-Control, Bravery, Discipline, Desire, Winning, Self-Discovery, Courage
When several villages are united in a single complete community, large enough to be nearly or quite self-sufficing, the state comes into existence, originating in the bare needs of life, and continuing in existence for the sake of a good life.
—Aristotle
Anything that we have to learn we learn by the actual doing of it… we become just by performing just acts, temperate by performing temperate ones, brave by performing brave ones.
—Aristotle
Topics: Ethics, Doing
Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.
—Aristotle
Topics: Business, Work, Excellence, Enthusiasm, Perfection, Jobs
The greatest crimes are caused by surfeit, not by want.
—Aristotle
Topics: Crime, Justice
The beauty of the soul shines out when a man bears with composure one heavy mischance after another, not because he does not feel them, but because he is a man of high and heroic temper.
—Aristotle
Topics: Beauty, Bravery, Courage, Heroes, Acceptance
Suffering becomes beautiful when anyone bears great calamities with cheerfulness, not through insensibility but through greatness of mind.
—Aristotle
Topics: Suffering
He who is unable to live in society, or who has no need because he is sufficient for himself, must be either a beast or a god.
—Aristotle
Topics: Society, Solitude
The Good of man is the active exercise of his souls faculties in conformity with excellence or virtue, or if there be several human excellences or virtues, in conformity with the best and most perfect among them.
—Aristotle
The whole is more than the sum of its parts.
—Aristotle
He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander.
—Aristotle
Topics: Leadership
It is simplicity that makes the uneducated more effective than the educated when addressing popular audiences.
—Aristotle
Topics: Simplicity
One thing alone not even God can do,
To make undone whatever hath been done.
—Aristotle
Wit is educated insolence.
—Aristotle
Topics: Intelligence
We praise a man who feels angry on the right grounds and against the right persons and also in the right manner at the right moment and for the right length of time.
—Aristotle
Topics: Anger
A likely impossibility is always preferable to an unconvincing possibility.
—Aristotle
It is easy to fly into a passion – anybody can do that – but to be angry with the right person to the right extent and at the right time with the right object and in the right way – that is not easy, and it is not everyone who can do it.
—Aristotle
Topics: Bravery, Courage, Anger
No one loves the man whom he fears.
—Aristotle
Topics: Fear
All men by nature desire knowledge.
—Aristotle
Topics: Knowledge
The ideal man bears the accidents of life with dignity and grace, making the best of the circumstances.
—Aristotle
Topics: Virtues, Courage, Bravery, Acceptance, Ideals
It is unbecoming for young men to utter maxims.
—Aristotle
The antidote for fifty enemies is one friend.
—Aristotle
Topics: Friendship
Happiness seems to require a modicum of external prosperity.
—Aristotle
Topics: Happiness, Money, Success
Dignity consists not in possessing honors, but in the consciousness that we deserve them.
—Aristotle
Topics: Character, Dignity, Honor, Integrity
We praise a man who is angry on the right grounds, against the right persons, in the right manner, at the right moment, and for the right length of time.
—Aristotle
Topics: Anger
It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.
—Aristotle
Happiness depends upon ourselves.
—Aristotle
Topics: Self-reliance, Feelings, Confidence, Happiness
Humans seek happiness as an end in itself, not as a means to something else.
—Aristotle
Any one can get angry — that is easy — or give or spend money; but to do this to the right person, to the right extent, at the right time, with the right motive, and in the right way, that is not for every one, nor is it easy.
—Aristotle
Topics: Wisdom, Anger
The happy life is thought to be one of excellence; now an excellent life requires exertion, and does not consist in amusement.
—Aristotle
Topics: Excellence
Virtue is more clearly shown in the performance of fine actions than in the non-performance of base ones.
—Aristotle
Topics: Performance
The secret to humor is surprise.
—Aristotle
The soul never thinks without a mental picture.
—Aristotle
Topics: Soul, Vision
For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.
—Aristotle
Topics: Education, Action, Learning, Discovery
The argument of Alcidamas: Everyone honours the wise. Thus the Parians have honoured Archilochus, in spite of his bitter tongue; the Chians Homer, though he was not their countryman; the Mytilenaeans Sappho, though she was a woman; the Lacedaemonians actually made Chilon a member of their senate, though they are the least literary of men; the inhabitants of Lampsacus gave public burial to Anaxagoras, though he was an alien, and honour him even to this day.
—Aristotle
It is the nature of desire not to be satisfied, and most men live only for the gratification of it.
—Aristotle
Topics: Desire, Satisfaction
Watch the costs and the profits will take care of themselves.
—Aristotle
The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.
—Aristotle
Topics: Education, One liners, Society
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