The Philosopher, Aristotle The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle was an extraordinary individual who possessed a multitude of talents ranging from mastery of rhetoric to interest in physiology. Aristotle lived during the 4th century BC in ancient Greece. The culture of the Greeks in this period differs greatly from current life and times. Aristotle came into contact with many great men of history, from Plato, his instructor and mentor, to Alexander the Great, conqueror and ruler of the East. Aristotle's works left many after him contemplating his theories and attitudes towards life and his Realism movement. The era in which Aristotle lived was one in which to be heard you must have a strong voice and master the art of persuasion, or rhetoric. This occurred throughout Greece, particularly in Athens, where Aristotle spent most of his life. The law in Athens came from a group of about five thousand men who were landowners in the city. In this group the individual must be listened to to defend himself and others in difficulty. This was accomplished by those who studied rhetoric. Therefore those who taught this art could gain much wealth from their efforts. These were known as sophists for whom philosophers such as Socrates had much contempt. “The greatest school of rhetoric in all Greece was at this time held in Athens by the famous Isocrates, who was at the height of his reputation.” (Collins p. 11) A competitor of this school was Plato's Academy of Philosophy, where Aristotle arrived in the year 367 BC. Plato became Aristotle's teacher and soon realized the enormous potential and pure intellect that Aristotle possessed . Aristotle was born in 384 BC in a city just outside the borders of the Macedonian Empire, called Stageira. He was said to have been raised in the ways of the Asclepiades. “It was customary in Asclepiad families for boys to be trained by their father in the practice of dissection just as boys of other families learn to read and write.” (Collins p. 3) When Aristotle turned seventeen his father, Nicomachus died and was entrusted to the care of Proxenus of Atarneus, who sent him to Athens to further his education under the guidance of the great philosopher Plato. It was at Plato's Academy that Aris...... middle of paper...... fled Athens when he was indicted on charges similar to those against Socrates years earlier. The reason for Aristotle's departure was said to be "so that the Athenians would not have another opportunity to sin against philosophy, as they had already done once in the person of Socrates." (Collins p.26) He left for the city of Chalcis where he sought temporary refuge and planned to return to Athens following the expected new invasion by Macedonia. Fate had something different in mind for Aristotle, he died in 322 BC from a sudden illness at the age of sixty-three. Aristotelian thought has progressed and influenced cultures for nearly two millennia. Its foundation and the development of the theories underlying the Realism movement gave rise to the debates that were engaged throughout most of the Middle Ages. His immense contributions to the natural sciences form the basis of the standard curriculum for students and students around the world. Aristotle was a clear and impressive figure in history and philosophy for whom we should have much respect and admiration. Bibliography. Collins, Luke. Aristotle.2. Blaug, Marco. Aristotle, (384-322 BC.).