The greatest figure in human history
----Aristotle
It illustrates "the influence of ancient civilization on mankind"
Abstract: This article briefly introduces Aristotle’s experience, comprehensively explains Aristotle’s achievements and influence on mankind in natural sciences, social sciences and humanities, and has a profound influence on Asia. Aristotle's merits and demerits in history are analyzed. The author believes that Aristotle is a great teacher of mankind and the greatest figure in the 5,000-year history of civilization in the world.
Keywords: human civilization, ancient Greece, Aristotle, historical figure, thinker, philosopher, scientist, educator
Ancient Greek civilization is the source of Western civilization. In the past four hundred years, Western civilization has had a greater impact on mankind than Eastern civilization. Aristotle (384 BC - 322 BC) is the most important representative of ancient Greek civilization. Marx said that Aristotle was "the greatest thinker in ancient times." Aristotle was a great man with many achievements and a collection of ancient Greek knowledge. Aristotle was the most knowledgeable and encyclopedic scholar in the ancient world; he was the greatest thinker, philosopher and scientist in ancient times, an outstanding inventor and educator; he studied biology, politics, economics, and logic. , founder or founder of psychology and ethics.
Aristotle’s ideological theory was the ideological theory that had the greatest influence on human society in the history of the world before Marx. He is the most important figure in the 5,000-year history of human civilization and the greatest teacher of mankind. In the "200 Important Figures Who Influenced World History" that the author is writing, Aristotle is ranked first in order of impact on human history.
Eager to learn and knowledgeable
In 384 BC, Aristotle was born in the ancient Greek city of Stagira (now named Stavros) in the north of the Aegean Sea. Aristotle's father was the court physician to King Aminstar, the father of the then King of Greece. Therefore, he was the son of a prominent and wealthy noble.
The young Aristotle had a strong thirst for knowledge and loved learning. He was not content to study in a family environment. When Aristotle was 17 years old, that is, in 367 BC, he left the city of Stagira and went to Athens, the political and cultural center of the time. At that time, Plato, the great ancient Greek philosopher and educator, founded an academy in Athens - Academia (meaning "college" in English). The young Aristotle admired Plato very much, so he went to the Academy of Accademia to study.
At the Academy of Accademia, Aristotle studied tirelessly. His intellectual interests and fields of study were very wide, including almost all disciplines at that time, such as economics, mathematics, physics, astronomy, biology, logic, poetry, rhetoric, history, etc.
At the Academy of Accademia, Aristotle studied first mathematics and natural sciences, then social sciences and humanities. Plato attached great importance to mathematics and believed that mathematics is abstract and universal and can lead people's minds to the truth. A sign at the entrance to the Academy of Accademia reads: "No entry to those who do not understand mathematics." At this academy, Aristotle first spent about 10 years studying mathematics and natural sciences, including arithmetic, plane geometry, solid geometry, physics, biology, etc.
At that time, Plato’s teacher and ancient Greek thinker Socrates ran a rhetoric school. Around 360 BC, a great debate began between the Academy of Accademia and Socrates' rhetoric school. In the polemic, Aristotle won honor for Plato's Academy of Arcademia. Aristotle has been the "star" of the academy ever since.
In May 360 BC, Plato died at the age of 80, and Aristotle decided to end his life at the Academy of Accademia and leave Athens.
Aristotle spent 20 years studying and researching at the Academy of Accademia. During these 20 years, Aristotle formed a deep friendship with his teacher Plato. He admired and loved Plato very much. But he had many academic differences with Plato. Aristotle always insisted on his own opinions and never blindly followed his teachers. Aristotle has a famous saying: "I love my teacher, and I love truth even more."
Extensive practical experience
In 347 BC, Aristotle Leaving Athens, he began a 12-year turbulent life. Invited by his classmate and friend Hermias, he went to the city of Atarnius in northern Asia Minor, where he lived for three years and formed a deep friendship with Hermias.
In 345 BC, Aristotle moved to Jutilia, a city on the southeast corner of Lesbos. Here he met Theophrastus, who later became Aristotle's closest friend and assistant. He followed Aristotle for 25 years and assisted Aristotle in his work.
In 343 BC, King Philip of Macedonia (the most powerful city-state in Greece at the time) invited Aristotle to the court to teach his son Alexander. Aristotle accepted. Invited. Alexander later became king of Macedonia.
Alexander, known as the "Lion of Macedonia", was an invincible military commander in ancient times. He established the Macedonian Empire, the most powerful country in the world at that time, spanning Europe, Asia and Africa. He was a great statesman and military strategist who spread ancient Greek civilization throughout Europe, Arabia and western Asia. Alexander's great achievements are inseparable from the education of his teacher Aristotle.
The year after Aristotle left Lesbos, his friend Hermias was defeated and captured by the Persian king during the massive invasion. He was tortured and died. Aristotle was very indignant at the misfortune of Hermias. In memory of his loyal friend, Aristotle erected a statue in the Temple of Delphi and wrote an elegy himself. Later, this elegy became "evidence" for Aristotle's impiety.
In 336 BC, Philip was stabbed to death. In July of the same year, Alexander seized the Macedonian throne. Alexander solemnly thanked his teacher Aristotle and rebuilt the hometown of Stagiera and Theophrastus on the island of Lesbos, which had been razed to the ground during the war. Aristotle lived in his hometown from 340 BC to 335 BC.
In 335 BC, Alexander, who had just ascended the throne, sent his troops south, defeated the anti-Macedonians in the southern cities, and established a solid rule in Greece. Aristotle and Theophrastus, now in their fifties, returned to Athens.
The turbulence of political life made Aristotle deeper and wiser. He did not want to be involved in politics anymore, so he immersed himself in academic research. With the funding of Alexander, Aristotle established his own school, the Lyceum Academy, on a sports field called Lyceum outside the city wall in the northeast corner of Athens, across the city from Plato's Academy in the northwest corner. . In the early days of its establishment, the Lyceum Academy did not have complete teaching equipment. Aristotle often walked carefree on the tree-lined avenues with his students, discussing esoteric issues of logic, physics, and metaphysics. Therefore, he and his disciples were called Xiaoyao. school, or wandering school.
At this time, Greek society was relatively stable. Alexander sent his troops to attack the Persian Empire, leaving General Antipater to guard the rear. The general later became a close friend of Aristotle. Aristotle, who was over fifty years old, worked hard with strong perseverance and perseverance. He collected information extensively and wrote numerous books and lecture notes. In order to thank his teacher for his training, Alexander not only used funds to support Aristotle in establishing the Lyceum Academy to engage in research; he also arranged for thousands of people to serve Aristotle throughout Greece and Asia Minor. These people divided their labors into hunting, fish farming, sheep herding, bird raising, etc., as well as collecting the information needed for Aristotle's scientific research. Aristotle also participated in the practice himself. This provided Aristotle with rich research materials.
In 323 BC, Alexander died suddenly in Babylon at the age of 33. As a result, the anti-Macedonian movement developed rapidly. Aristotle, Alexander's teacher, bore the brunt of the attack. The people of Athens regarded him as a Macedonian spy. At the same time, the Athenians also accused him of "flattering the tyrant and disrespecting the gods".
Aristotle lost his regular job and even his life was in danger. Faced with this situation, he had a premonition that his fate might be the same as Socrates's. Socrates died after being sentenced to death by his political opponents. Aristotle handed over the affairs of the Lyceum Academy to Theophrastus, left Athens, and went to the city of Chalcis on the island of Euboea, where he lived alone in seclusion in the hut left by his mother, and spent his later years in melancholy. . He died in 322 BC at the age of 62.
Aristotle’s wandering life and extensive practice accumulated rich experience, materials and materials for his scientific exploration, theoretical research and literary creation.
Research and Exploration of Human Teachers
During the last 10 years of Plato’s Academy of Arcademia and the 25 years after leaving the Academy, Aristotle studied and worked , while conducting scientific research and theoretical exploration. Aristotle wrote extensively. It is said that there are 400-1000 kinds of his works, 47 of which are extant, mainly including "On Instruments", "Metaphysics", "Physics", "Ethics", "Politics", "Poetics", etc. Aristotle's works are ancient encyclopedias, covering a wide range of topics and topics, including politics, economics, mathematics, physics, astronomy, biology, medicine, psychology, ethics, logic, Drama, Poetics, Rhetoric, Human History, Natural History, etc. Aristotle did not skimp on each field and only dabbled in it. Instead, he conducted in-depth research and achieved original results.
Aristotle attached great importance to knowledge and put forward the conclusion that "it is human nature to seek knowledge". He regarded the pursuit of knowledge as a manifestation of human nature and a symbol of personality.
For the first time, Aristotle used scientific methods to clarify the objects, brief history and basic concepts of each discipline, and classified science, so that natural science and social science gradually evolved into many independent disciplines.
Natural scientists and social scientists in many categories, such as scholars in biology, psychology, logic, ethics, politics, and economics, all recognize Aristotle as the master of their disciplines. Important founder and founder.
In terms of philosophy, Aristotle made philosophy an independent discipline.
He believes that physical objects themselves contain essence, and knowledge originates from feelings; every aspect of human society and life is an object of thinking and analysis; everything in the universe is not controlled by "gods", but operates according to certain laws.
Aristotle is the founder of logic. Aristotle believed that logic is the tool of all sciences. His book "On Instruments" is a classic textbook on formal logic. He summarized a method of how to deduce the correct conclusion from the correct premises, that is, the logical reasoning method of syllogism.
Aristotle is the originator of biology. His biological works include "Animals", "On the Structure of Animals", "Animal Reproduction", "On the Soul", etc. His main contributions are in animal classification, anatomy, embryonic development, etc.
Aristotle’s physics was created by integrating the culmination of ancient Greek physical knowledge. He does not admit that there is a vacuum. He proposed a synthetic theory of force.
In terms of astronomy, Aristotle believed that: the moving celestial bodies are material entities, and the earth is spherical and is the center of the universe; the matter on the earth is composed of water, air, fire, and earth. Composed of three elements, the celestial body is composed of the fifth element "ether".
Aristotle also made achievements in mathematics. He established mathematical concepts such as limits and infinite numbers.
In political science, Aristotle famously said that "man is a political animal by nature." Aristotle compared the various political systems in Greece and other places at that time, and listed six types of government: monarchy, aristocracy, monarchy, tyrant, oligarchy and civilian government, and analyzed their benefits and benefits in detail. Disadvantages.
In terms of jurisprudence, Aristotle advocated the rule of law. After comparing the rule of man with the rule of law, he concluded that "the rule of law is better than the rule of man." Aristotle believed that the formulation of laws must have justice, universality, equality, stability, flexibility and authority; everyone must obey the law and abide by the law, which is the key to the rule of law.
Aristotle's "On the Soul" is the first work in history to discuss various psychological phenomena. Aristotle believed that soul and body were unified and inseparable.
In terms of literary theory and aesthetics, Aristotle's works include "Poetics" and "Rhetoric". He believes that literature and art are special forms of human activities, and literature and art have their own laws of development.
In terms of history, Aristotle compiled a large number of historical data collections. He collected the constitutions of 158 countries and systematically compiled records of Athens' annual tragedies and comedies.
In terms of ethics, Aristotle advocated that one should follow the "golden mean" in life and pursue good goals. He advocated narrowing the gap between rich and poor and easing class antagonisms.
Aristotle was also a great educator. He founded and personally directed the Lyceum Academy. Aristotle established a comprehensive development curriculum at the college, advocating that students develop in an all-round way morally, intellectually, physically, and aesthetically, with different emphasis on different periods - physical development (sports) is the main focus in early childhood; This period takes music education as the core, with morality, intelligence, and beauty as the main content; senior grades have to study grammar, poetry, literature, philosophy, ethics, politics, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and other subjects. Aristotle valued the role of exercise and practice in teaching methods.
The famous German philosopher Hegel once said: "If there is a so-called teacher of mankind, Aristotle should be considered such a person." From Aristotle's experience in natural sciences, social sciences and Judging from the above-mentioned achievements in the humanities, he is indeed a great teacher of mankind.
Far-reaching influence, historical giant
Aristotle’s thoughts and theories have had a profound impact not only on the West, but also on all mankind. During ancient and medieval times, his works were translated into Latin, Syriac, Arabic, Italian, Hebrew, German and English.
There is no doubt that the correct natural science theory founded by Aristotle has played a huge role in promoting the development of human society.
In general, Aristotle’s social science thoughts have also played a great role in promoting the development of human society. Furthermore, Aristotle's social science thought was a pillar of medieval Christian thought and Islamic scholastic philosophy. Averroes, the most important thinker in the Islamic world, integrated Islamic traditional teachings with Aristotle's rationalism into his own ideological system. Maimonides, the most influential Jewish thinker, used rationalism to interpret Jewish teachings and made significant achievements in reconciling science, philosophy and religion. Modern European philosophy, whether empiricist or rationalist, up to Kant and Hegel, each absorbed something useful to them from Aristotle's philosophy.
Marx and Engels, the great thinkers of the nineteenth century, spoke highly of Aristotle. In "Das Kapital", Marx praised Aristotle as "the greatest thinker in ancient times". "This researcher was the first to analyze many forms of thinking, social forms and natural forms, and was also the first to analyze the form of value. He is Aristotle." Aristotle". Engels commented on Aristotle’s dialectical thinking: “The ancient Greek philosophers were all born spontaneous dialectics, and Aristotle, the most knowledgeable figure among them, had already studied the most important principles of dialectical thinking. Form." "Dialectics has until now been studied more closely by only two thinkers, Aristotle and Hegel.
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Aristotle’s theory is not perfect. Many of his conclusions are wrong, such as his geocentric theory, which was later overturned by Copernicus’ heliocentric theory; his law of falling objects , was later overturned by Galileo's law of falling bodies, etc. However, we cannot ask Aristotle in the fourth century BC to solve all the problems that people are still exploring today. It played a huge role in the history of human development. However, when his theory was regarded as dogma by scholasticism and became a dead tool, it also restricted and restricted the development of science in that era when religious theology occupied a dominant position in ideological scholarship. , the so-called "Aristotle's theory" that has been deified and distorted has become a huge fetter for the development of thought and science. When modern experimental science emerged, countless scientists carried out long-term and arduous struggles. He also sacrificed his life for this purpose, in order to liberate people's minds from the dogma of the so-called "Aristotelian doctrine". These works not only restored Aristotle's secular face, but also affirmed his influence on mankind. Russell, the great thinker of the twentieth century, discussed Aristotle in his "History of Western Philosophy": "Read any important philosopher, and especially read it. Aristotle, we need to study him from two aspects: that is, with reference to his predecessors and with reference to his descendants. In terms of the former aspect, Aristotle's advantages are extremely huge; in terms of the latter aspect, his shortcomings are also extremely huge. However, his descendants are more responsible for his shortcomings than he is. He lived at the end of the creative period of Greek thought; and it was not until two thousand years after his death that the world produced any philosopher who could be considered roughly his equal. … But had any of his predecessors (except perhaps Democritus) attained the same authority as himself, the situation would have been at least as disastrous. ”
Looking at Aristotle’s merits and demerits objectively and comprehensively, we can conclude that Aristotle is a giant in world history and the greatest in the 5,000-year history of human civilization. figure.