Aristotelianism
Knowledge through observation; virtue as the golden mean between extremes.
Overview
Aristotle rejected Plato's separate realm of Forms, arguing that form and matter are always united in particular things. Knowledge comes from careful observation and logical analysis of the world around us. In ethics, virtue lies in the golden mean between excess and deficiency, developed through practice until right action becomes habit. Every thing has a natural purpose (telos), and flourishing means fulfilling that purpose excellently.
Origins
Aristotle studied at Plato's Academy for twenty years but broke with his teacher's idealism, insisting that philosophy must engage with the observable world. His Lyceum (founded 335 BCE) became a center for empirical research. Aristotelianism dominated medieval thought through its synthesis with Christian theology by Thomas Aquinas.
Key Thinkers (6)
Aristotle
384 BCE – 322 BCE
Knowledge comes from empirical observation; virtue is the golden mean between extremes.
Avicenna
980 CE – 1037 CE
Existence and essence are distinct; God is the Necessary Existent from whom all else flows.
Averroes
1126 CE – 1198 CE
Philosophy and religion are compatible paths to truth; Aristotle represents the pinnacle of human reason.
Maimonides
1138 CE – 1204 CE
Reason and revelation are harmonious; God is best understood through what He is not.
Thomas Aquinas
1225 CE – 1274 CE
Faith and reason are complementary paths to truth; God's existence is demonstrable through rational argument.
Martha Nussbaum
1947 CE – Present
Human dignity requires not just rights but real capabilities: the actual ability to live a flourishing life.