Aristotle: History's Most Influential Thinker

[@danschreimann215]

He gave the world the greatest motivational quote ever "you are what you repeatedly do, excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit"

[@rigaudmackson4167]

😂😂😂😂😂 lie

[@Username123-b5n]

I've thought this myself. You aren't what you think. You are what you do.

[@F8LDragon2]

@@Username123-b5n I'd argue that's a bit materialistic, thinking IS doing. You wouldn't pour milk without first opening the jug, such that certain actions should be preceded by thought(s). Biology is systematic response. The conditioning of the potential thoughts is as important for higher functions.

[@deadseven3474]

You know, I gotta say, Phillip the Second's revelation that his son needed to be better than himself is actually pretty wise.

[@dorianphilotheates3769]

Deadseven - I know, eh? Not bad for a boozer!

[@Shylade]

Kinda what we all hope for our children? At least those without borderline personality disorder :D

[@terrysueing5178]

All Lies!!! They studied at ancient kemet!!!

[@matthewjones8798]

Terry Sueing Kermit?

[@primeedge7722]

Matthew Jones quack

[@ty814]

For those who don’t know about how Aristotle influenced Alexanders conquests. It was Aristatole who not only predicted but also gave him the idea to have a massive empire where the sun rises and sets at the same time. On that note Alexander came to think he had to conquer the world to make that happen.

[@tham4378]

Alexander is the practice while Aristotle is the Ariston and Telios, completed.

[@yeahyeah5976]

Their histories were systematically suppressed for centuries after their deaths. How do we know about a specific comment from an ancient conversation?

[@Dodlo32888]

​@@yeahyeah5976 Aristotle is one of the greatest mind in ancient world, he literally had somany genius students. And Alexander is like a hero for western culture. so there I no wonder Many people pressure their biography.

[@nezperce2767]

@t814 Nope!! Try Isocrates Homer Cimon, Archelaos ( forner greek koini lang) and Phil ( his farher ) amonst others and the Corinthuan assembly. Elementary yet unkown to whom?

[@bbrooks9891]

Thanks for taking a break from serial killers to talk about someone as important as Aristotle. Seriously, that's only half-sarcastic. I'm really enjoying these videos.

[@crazymustard7915]

And what of Historia Animalium? and Psychology? his physics was incorrect but to say that he's not important is kinda falling short isnt it? Cant forget his obvious thinking ideas.

[@Saber23]

CRAZY Mustard his physics was obviously incorrect but can people really blame him? He was doing the best he could with what was available to him and his logic and methodology is still in use to this day, I swear some people just don’t give credit where it’s do

[@chiefmofo]

Whoa, wait! By Socrates' Paradox, Phillip II is the wisest of them all. He knew what he didn't know and called Aristotle to help his son.

[@solarmaru49]

Good thing a truly wise person knows that wisdom isn’t a competition.

[@ashandwit]

YES! Don't you wish your Dad had felt the same, LOL? I know mine didn't! "GET OUT HERE...."

[@ilduce5874]

Socrates indeed said, “I only know that I know nothing” while defending himself on the charge of corrupting the local youth by talking to them - seriously. “You mustn’t be hanging out with Socrates, my son. Stay away from him, or you’ll be grounded for a month.”

[@tsav2825]

Here in Thessaloniki, Greece, we have the main Square named after Aristotle, there is also a statue where you can sit on it or take photos, its pretty cool.

[@levanlomouri3579]

I've been there lol

[@Nisfornarwhal1990]

Ive also been there, i think the statue if Alexander in the video is in Thessaloniki too

[@tsav2825]

@@Nisfornarwhal1990 Yes, Alexanders statue is a couple blocks away, near the White Tower.

[@cv4809]

Kinda weird how fyromians haven't claimed Aristotle as their own since he was a Macedonian

[@carlosmarte3154]

Angry Justinian You live in a democracy I assume? Consider the debt repaid. Good joke nonetheless lol.

[@ignitionfrn2223]

0:55 - Chapter 1 - Early life 3:00 - Chapter 2 - Inventing biology 4:25 - Chapter 3 - Educating alexander 7:30 - Chapter 4 - The lyceum 10:35 - Chapter 5 - Condemnation & death 11:20 - Mid roll ads 12:20 - Chapter 6 - Aristotle through the ages 14:25 - Chapter 7 - Aristotle's writings 15:20 - Chapter 7.1 - The organon 15:25 - Chapter 7.2 - The theoretical 15:30 - Chapter 7.3 - The practical 15:40 - Chapter 7.4 - The rhetoric 15:50 - Chapter 8 - Aristotle on the sciences 18:05 - Chapter 9 - Plato vs aristotle

[@klaudiajulius6742]

I have a disease that is making my organs and nervous system fail... and Simon’s videos ALWAYS GET ME through! My dad is an ancient history prof. And watching these videos always makes for great conversations between us. Thank you bio-G ❤️❤️

[@Smartacus420]

Hope you're ok

[@bigpoppa1667]

RIP

[@Yurple88]

hopefully your still doing good!

[@nextlevelnonce8884]

Are you still OK??

[@joshn7829]

I'm thinking of you and your dad. I hope you had many more great conversations. 🙏🏾 RIP

[@ty814]

Aristotle not only gave teaching to Alexander the great but also Cassander and Ptolemy two great successors of Alexander. He also taught Theopharstus.

[@izzojoseph2]

Socrates Plato Aristotle Alexander the Great Wow What a lineage

[@wakawaka1976]

Joseph Izzo and then... nothing.

[@lalboimanlun1230]

Theophrastus

[@edholohan]

@@wakawaka1976 How do you know it was "nothing" after Alexander? So "nothing" happened for the next 1000 years?

[@hankonfire]

Alexander was not a philosopher, and his brief association with Aristotle in no way qualifies him as an "heir" to these great philosophers.

[@thegreekdeal4747]

@@hankonfire alexander changes the world with a simple idea that the persians werent slaves or inferior instead he tried to unite greeks and persians how the world would have changed if these 2 cultures became one well never know.

[@justandroid1209]

That schooling sounds far more interesting than today's

[@jl2899]

socratic method

[@OkurkaBinLadin]

This schooling requires qualified, mature teacher and small class of willing students. Also money. Today you have publicly funded halls trying to socialize animals with depressed servants cosplaying as teachers.

[@adamabbas1487]

Schools are trying to use inquiry based learning that requires a balance of inductive and deductive reasoning to learn a subject. Unfortunately it's actually not a great way in our day and age to get a good grasp of the fundamental concepts of many commonly taught disciplines. Socratic and inductive based methods of learning become more efficient as you knowledge base grows. Unfortunately there isn't a way to avoid the grind necessary to develop fundamentals.

[@talkeverything1813]

the problem that today experts like in the corona virus despite the fact that lockdown didn't work continue with theur assertion.

[@neo-didact9285]

@@OkurkaBinLadin So basically, his classes were quality over quantity, while ours are the reversed? An industrialized mass-education system where trying to instill that level of quality would "slow things down?"

[@michaelbatts5655]

Simon, you should really become a college professor. Your oration and narrative are the best. Another excellent presentation!

[@HighLordSythen]

He just reads though.

[@Saucyakld]

@@teasit Hoorah!

[@wojciechgrodnicki6302]

That would involve a lot of work and a big pay cut.

[@mmmikeyyy]

I don't know if he just reads scripts, but there's something in the text he reads that is seriously getting on my nerves. Am I the only one noticing the rather clumsy sentence structure he uses all the time, in all videos, whereby he states the subject and immediately refers to it with a pronoun after a pause? His wife, she died. Aristotle, he left. Alexander, he succeeded his father... Once you've noticed this bad habit of his, you'll be baffled by how pervasive it is in his scripts. Now and then, for effect, it would be ok because it's not inherently bad. But at this frequency, it's a serious flaw.

[@mmlas8683]

Michael Batts He would be a great History professor for sure.

[@storminmormn6283]

Aristotle seems like the most realistic philosopher of the time. Looking forward to listening to more of his teachings.

[@robertvann7349]

The most important person? Aristotle is the FATHER OF LOGIC SCIENCE 101. His God given wisdom? Law of contradiction p is non p which evolution depends on being true which is absolutely false. Law of non contradiction p isn't non p. Aristotle didn't know the difference. Google it. PhD logic instructors don't know the truth. Google it law of contradiction and non contradiction. 🎉🎉🎉

[@krednevalga1686]

The Most Ambitious Crossover in the history of mankind: Aristotle tutoring Alexander, the future Great.

[@Saber23]

LOL 😂

[@tham4378]

Shake your head

[@tham4378]

Ambitious is Darwin trying to convince people have monkey origins and not Aristotle…he knew what was he was doing…take a look around.

[@thegoodgeneral]

Basically Merlin and Arthur.

[@tham4378]

@C I Aboomer?!

[@silky4620]

Brilliant work again, Simon. Illuminating and enjoyable. Thank you for all your great videos. If I had you as a teacher at University, I may not have left academia.

[@MrJk2346]

Wrote 10 million words, 1 million remain... 20%... interesting math.

[@rolandwoltman7835]

Well write 5 million words... I'd bet you claim you wrote 10 million as much as your wrist hurt ;-)

[@peterpanther8627]

@@rolandwoltman7835 your comment is the mount everest of cope

[@adrianteyechea8048]

Hahahahaha

[@RankinMsP]

Aristotle would have been proud 😁

[@MrRpiotrek]

Jacob two two?

[@gfx2943]

Your channel is incredible! As a historian I really love getting lost in your channel through autoplay. Keep it up!

[@philsmith7629]

*

[@rolandfelice6198]

A timely and well researched subject and a truely exceptional man. Thanks Simon.

[@traumalama8663]

Always great to learn something every day. Thanks Simon et al

[@cronquist09]

I remember reading Aristotle in college and needing stop re-read paragraphs over and over because they were so dense and full of meaning. Could also be that I was just really dense too. Still, really transformed how I think.

[@mitchellneu]

I know this vid’s about Aristotle, but Alexander learned THE ENTIRE ILIAD BY HEART!?!? That takes some dedication! Props to Aristotle for instilling a love of reading in Alexander!

[@Norman92151]

Astonishing that these great thinkers of antiquity accepted slavery without question. We are all truly a product of our age no matter how brilliant the mind.

[@islandboy9381]

>writes treatises about achieving human excellence > accepts slavery and ethnostate Aristotle was the orginal redpilled

[@varolussalsanclar1163]

@@islandboy9381 makes you think about the credibility and value and the overall nature of modern liberal ideas that are forced down our throats by every possible means imaginable.

[@mmccrownus2406]

Not "without question". Intricate thought. Slavery of the soul today is incomparably vaster than slavery of the body in days of yor

[@mmccrownus2406]

IKEHH nothing wrong with sexism The sexes r highly different

[@TheRomanRuler]

@@islandboy9381 There is nothing wrong with ethnostate though. Its matter of opinon, there is no objective reason why ethnostate would be automatically bad. Just because there is wrong way to do it does not make it automatically wrong. Ethnostate does not fight against idea of "live and let live", so there is nothing automatically wrong with it. If there is village somewhere with only people of certain ethnicity (and there are, there are even some isolated tribes even in modern day) they can form themselves into a city state and thus they are technically ethnostate. Problem is all the wrong ways people try to implement it, such as ethnic cleaning.

[@knowitall82]

I would like to see a Biographics on my favorite host, Simon Whistler.

[@TheDillinger187]

Yes

[@tham4378]

If you understand Aristotle there is no other person you would want to understand

[@martynwaters2358]

KZbin at its' best -- thanks Simon!

[@laura1443]

Merry Christmas Simon, Steve, Jennifer and Shell! 🎅🎄🎉

[@Biographics]

Thank you and Merry Christmas.

[@riflebusters1]

A year later

[@parapermesterjeluurinvesti523]

@@riflebusters1 a year later

[@talkeverything1813]

@@Biographics the problem that today experts like in the corona virus despite the fact that lockdown didn't work continue with theur assertion.

[@talkeverything1813]

@C I A i am 29

[@richardbidinger2577]

Absolutely astounding how someone from more than 2000 years ago, can have such an affect on our own modern world. I think that if Aristotle had not lived, we might still be living in the middle ages. Someone else may come along and got things moving in the right direction, but that could have taken centuries.

[@ericparrish1515]

He knew he didn't know anything. Always thinking of some other way to look at it.

[@carlosdavila9551]

His teacher Plato philosophy was use by politicians n all this religions till this day n took Europe into the dark ages if it wasn't for Aristotle philosophy that was completely opposite from his teacher Plato we would still be in the dark ages but thanks to Aristotle philosophy that made Europe raise from the dark ages n America to the beckoned of the world but now in the 21 century Plato philosophy has taking over again in America n again America is heading to the dark ages it seems that Aristotle was the one who had the teachings of Socrates not Plato even dow Plato was supposed to be his student n the teacher of Aristotle

[@RubeeRoja]

Happy Christmas, Simon and Biographics team! Thank you for the continued gift of knowledge!

[@taironus]

I loved the comparison of plato's and aristotle's approaches at the end. it kindbof reminds me of how you broke down the differences between edison and tesla. (not a direct comparison, but similarities are definitely there). excellent video! keep em comin!

[@frankgreen2212]

Wonderful and comprehensive! I deeply enjoy your work, it's informative and presented succinctly! Thank you

[@namelesscare7982]

Imagine your legacy and influence still live today and will continue to live forever, even if you were the man of ancient ages. He was such a remarkable man thats for sure.

[@alfonsomartinez328]

Please do one on Plato and Goethe

[@hyacinth1320]

Seconding Goethe

[@fikrakweli]

Goethe

[@freshprince69]

Invented Biology just because of his passion in observing the natural world, truly an exceptional person.

[@colincurrie2431]

what a great christmas gift from biographics

[@socialanarchist9623]

My thanks to entire team of people behind , Biographics . All and every content is a thing of beauty. Simon being the cherry on the top . Aristotle is one of my favorite western philosophers . Thank you for this one .

[@lacka90]

Plato vs Aristotle invented the left vs right debate. And it still going strong.

[@nezperce2767]

@meet me sumwhey bring yo sh*t witchu hegelian? German?

[@nezperce2767]

That's the way to discuss things in order to reach a truthful result

[@LeglessWonder]

*"Only an armed people can be truly free. Only an unarmed people can ever be enslaved."* ~ Aristotle

[@LeglessWonder]

@@YM-ow1jx Only after being unarmed. Unless you are talkign figuratively, then that is a whole different convo

[@LeglessWonder]

@@YM-ow1jx Thats such a lazy argument that has been dunked on so many times before, and better than I have the words for. That’s a big “if” for starters. But also, Vietnam and Afghanistan is proof that farmers can easily stand against our military. I served in Afghan and know this first hand. Now imagine a populace as well armed and dug in as our citizens are. Plus there would be plenty of help from other countries who would attack a govt thats murdering its own citizens, if history is any proof. Basically, the quote stands true.

[@AsianTheDomination]

good thing i have two arms

[@marinatebbenham4011]

"Aristotle settled in Assos, a city which faced the island of Lesbos"... Is it childish of me to laugh out loud at this sentence?

[@ata-ayitehunlede5632]

Congrats, congrats, bravo for the excellent presentation of the great man of all ages. Thank you so much and waiting for more outstanding and insightful biographies

[@jacquelinevizcarra6124]

For the last two days I’ve been watching BioGraphics videos back to back to back! Someone help!!

[@HauntedHeroine138]

Thank you so much for this.. I hope you're planning on covering the other philosophers too?

[@Litzie2129]

Great, Now I have to stop cooking to watch the video Simon. Merry Christmas.

[@dorianphilotheates3769]

Not only the most influential; also the greatest. Stumbled on your channel recently. Brilliant work - just subscribed!

[@Duececoupe]

We need to let these great minds back in our lives! Love these videos, plus your other channels, phenomenal work! 👍🏻👌🏻👏🏻🍻

[@backyardhomestead7415]

Britannica's Great works of the Western World is a good place to start.

[@The69ouroboros]

Holy cow, thank you, Mr. Whistler! Your an amaaaaazing host!

[@calinculianu]

What's with those "all stops" during the segment on "The Rhetorical", "The Practical", etc? They were a little funny and made me crack up. Seemed out of place in an otherwise extremely well edited video. Ha ha..

[@rolandwoltman7835]

I liked them... it's as if the editor wanted us to focus on them and pay attention. My paradigm was shifted.

[@thegoodgeneral]

@@rolandwoltman7835 this was the intent but it seemed like an after-thought and the execution was super awful.

[@marthab-c5226]

I love all your channels Simon, you are definitely a great narrator and storyteller and I could watch your videos all day. Merry Christmas!

[@jasonmclaren8752]

It really is mind boggling that we know so much about what happened over 2000 years ago.

[@eulaliogarcia_comu]

This is so educative. My favorite one of yours

[@alecmisra4964]

So, Aristotle was a Lesbian for a period of his life. I always knew it.

[@acidicjerk218]

underrated comment

[@kets4443]

I didn't know lesbos existed in the ancient world too

[@parmadola4993]

@@kets4443 😂😂😂

[@tham4378]

Trying to show smartness through a dose of well known ignorance, well.

[@tham4378]

@@mrfact03s just pissed of on how easily we judge others and joke about, but got your point.

[@Kenaiwolf]

I just found this. Absolutely fantastic, Simon! Thank you.

[@Rah514]

Merry Christmas notification squad and Simon and the whole crew 🎄

[@juantobar3861]

Great presentation, please do more of Philosophers , thank you very much

[@DrinkingStar]

As always, your videos are interesting and informative, adding detail to what is often overlooked over time.

[@barbarachase5824]

Biographics..Thanks and Merry Christmas to you and everyone that passes this way...

[@Chaika1974]

Chicken is delicious

[@barbarachase5824]

@@Chaika1974 ??

[@michaelbatts5655]

Happy Holidays, Simon! Blessings!

[@JACKSONLEWISOFCANADA]

“Afraid his son would become another version of himself “ Talk about a guy with true self insights….

[@kaisersingh5827]

6:16(Heavy Thanos Breathing)

[@Johnny_Shields]

I forget which one said it, but one of the three said "Things shared by all are cherished by none." Those poor children in The Republic.

[@OkurkaBinLadin]

I love how the "Incredibles" movie paraphrased it with "if we are all special, then no one really is."

[@bernitaldown9136]

Please do one of Charles Bukowski, please!

[@regiscaelum1887]

As always Simon quality work, keep it up your going places

[@phibmak]

Thanks for your informative videos. Can you please do a piece on Thomas Aquinas

[@actuallywaffles5267]

Merry Christmas Simon and the rest of the Biographics team.

[@robert48044]

Its unfortunate people don't spend time on philosophy, they spend time on party politics which is ideology. Perhaps I should say Independent thought is what is lacking.

[@cammorgan7927]

Joey Dyker precisely, conformity is the norm. perhaps if more started with philosophy they would begin to realize the whole political system a theatrics department that is playing them all for fools

[@jpick3113]

This is the only channel is don’t mind ads because they seem very passionate about every sponsor

[@Renatoion2009]

Hi Simon! first of, love your channel! i was wondering if you could do a episode of Augusto Pinochet?

[@darthinkarnatus7264]

Incredible! My favorite I've seen thus far! Please make a Biggraphic on Marcus Aurelius!

[@ericparrish1515]

And his army the cranius menimus

[@liamschnurr1525]

Happy Christmas Simon, great video, but you ought to take Christmas off! Happy Christmas to anyone else reading this comment

[@barbarachase5824]

Liam Schnurr..thank you and Merry Christmas to you as well..

[@geoweb8246]

Simon, I appreciate the work you do. I hope you don’t mind if I push back on one thing you said. At ~18:20 you claimed Aristotle believed “the only reality was the physical world.” This is incorrect. Aristotle did believe that reality is comprised of both material (particulars) and immaterial (universals, transcendental realities). (Indeed, as soon as one categorizes for example biological similarities, one is identifying universals.) Aristotle differed from Plato in that outside of God, Aristotle believed universals exist only in minds. Plato believed the material was less real than the idealistic archetypes called “forms” that exist in immaterial forms independent of minds. To believe that reality is comprised of only material ends up being irrational. If our thinking is only molecules in motion controlled by the laws of science, there is no choice or free will.

[@goneoffbeans2768]

Merry Christmas

[@nalmolen9394]

Thank you for the upload! Aristotle so balanced and inquisitive, no wonder he was so formative... Merry Christmas!

[@Problembeing]

Archimedes next, please!

[@VenomStryker]

or Pythagoras

[@jonathanmills524]

How about Herodotus?

[@dr.gregorysmith3120]

This was fantastic. Really like this one!

[@rdstirewalt]

Does anyone else sometimes see Simon as a canadian character from south park?! lol

[@dahlilance6087]

I loved this video very much. I will consider it my second favorite Christmas gift. Thank you as always anbd Merry Christmas.

[@euanberry428]

Any plans to do James Clerk Maxwell?

[@danddoty3981]

I would like to see bios on Charles Fort , Ed Gein , Albert K Bender , Steve Ditko , Robert Heinlein , and Raymond Palmer.

[@Mrbrklyn212]

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE

[@michaelbatts5655]

Same to you! Blessings!

[@richaddulieu1967]

Thanks Simon iv learnt a lot from the last 4 videos 📹 😀 👍🏻 😊 😄 🙂

[@DanielwlTan]

Ad ends at 12:14

[@benthomason3307]

Something that amazed m a a kid was that Aristotle 1)turn up in every single on of my school textbooks, 2) for being wrong.

[@truecrimelover2022]

Merry Christmas every one

[@lectorserelith]

Thankyou for not frontloading the video with a two minute advertisement. This is much better, even though it's still 2 minutes, it's in the middle, after you got me hooked .;p

[@PRIMELIFELIVE]

Can I request Noam Chomsky?

[@Flyingtart]

theatlasmarch This

[@danandreitimofte3576]

You’re doing an amazing work!

[@dadsdone3524]

Happy Winter Solstice, the original keeper of the holidays.

[@shebbs1]

Half the planet is 8n summer. So northern-centric of you!

[@scottish118]

This channel is amazing, I hope you never stop.

[@alexanderveritas]

*To cut it short: Aristotle was an upgraded version of Plato.* *_Better, Faster, Stronger... Wiser._*

[@nezperce2767]

If you don't have teachers you don't have students

[@alexanderranchev7979]

The idea of conquering the east was not passed by Aristotle... It was the reason why he left Alexander... He was lately accused by the greeks for it, but fled with the saying “I won’t allow a second crime against philosophy” having in mind Socrates death...It’s not just a mistake it’s the opposite of truth and it drives me mad...

[@vaibhav4634]

actually its chanakya ..from taxila university india

[@OldMovieRob]

You make history and biographies fascinating and enjoyable to follow.

[@maharajahdann]

Plato did not believe in the abolition of private property for all, just the ruling class. A few other inaccuracies here and there, but nice video overall.

[@daviddawson1718]

You can not know what Plato 'believed', you can only guess, and your 'ruling class', who chooses them?

[@Xpistos510]

20:45 at this point, philosophy gives birth to modern science. Ultimately the search for truth makes them one and the same in the grand scheme of things.

[@irvinzarco8200]

Also the one who held science back for thousands of years

[@nemmett9968]

Kid how so?

[@farticlesofconflatulation]

Thanks Simon and company for this informative content. Merry Christmas to you all! 🎁🎄🎅🏻

[@kaljic1]

It is unfair and impossible to say who is the most influential philosopher. While it is true that everything that follows Plato is a footnote, Aristotle is just one of those footnotes, albeit a notable one. Instead of choosing who is the most influential philosopher, Plato and Aristotle represent the eternal debate in philosophy, Ideals vs. Realism, etc. Remember Aristotle was just a student of Plato's. ...

[@mmccrownus2406]

He wasn't just a student, but an original thinker. He effected civilization far more than any other, by far.

[@fikrakweli]

Socrates

[@markgannon7713]

Great channel , Great presentation. Simon is a great presenter.

[@davidkugel]

How can anyone cover Aristotle in 20 minutes? Simon dies a good job of it.

[@timobrien2010]

You guys need a playlist for philosophers! It was so difficult to find as many philosophers as possible!

[@wcropp1]

People rag on Aristotle because he wasn’t right about everything, or because he doesn’t always conform to our modern moral norms. However, as someone fairly well versed in science, philosophy, etc., I would be hard pressed to think of a person who has done more for human knowledge and civilization than-dare I say it?-this great man. We’ve learned a few more facts since his time, some of which have proven his ideas wrong, but Aristotle showed us how to find them. May he be one with the Unmoved Mover, contemplating fascinating thoughts until the end of time. Thanks for the video! I really enjoyed it, despite perhaps being a tad unfair to Plato at times.

[@justinmartin4662]

Its not just about modern moral norms. If he really did think of the Persians as I've heard, that they were less human than the Greeks and therefor should be conquered and enslaved like animals then he wasn't even capable of recognizing the greatness of the Persian Empire, or the city of Babylon for example and didn't learn from Socrates that intelligent men know what they are ignorant of, something Aristotle apparently didn't. Archimedes at least invented and discovered useful knowledge, and served as inspiration to later scientists after the Renaissance.

[@wcropp1]

Justin Martin there may be some historical examples of individuals that were more cosmopolitan in their thinking than Aristotle, but they are far and away the exception. And historical thinkers are rarely “better” across the board-Plato had a more modern attitude towards women, for example, but was no fan of democracy. Aristotle went so far as to argue for a pseudo-welfare state but thought people were naturally born to be slaves. Attitudes toward the Persians on the part of the Greeks is complicated, but I’m skeptical that they were simply written off as savages. They may have been seen as effeminate, or exoticized and portrayed as “anti-freedom,” etc., but many ancient Greeks admired the Persians (see Herodotus). As for Aristotle, I haven’t read any primary sources where he talks about them in any detail, so I can’t really say much. A little reading from the Bible, or many other works from the ancient world, will quickly dispel you of any illusions that historical civilizations thought about other cultures, the downtrodden, etc. anything like the way we do. You weren’t usually given much benefit of the doubt if you weren’t “one of them.” As far as practical achievements go, Aristotle made some groundbreaking discoveries in logic, biology, ethics and politics-the list could go on extensively. He was not perfect, and there are things I wish he hadn’t said, but I stand by my statement. Who’s to say you can’t simultaneously be great and flawed?

[@davidkugel]

Aristotle covered so many areas of knowledge that is it hard to believe one man could do so much in 62 years. Yes, he had some wrong conclusions.

[@michaelm6045]

After watching the video I have bad feelings that as a Macedonian (they considered barbarian in Athens) Aristotle was a bit provincial and had to be more progmatic in real life than Plato, it might influenced his way of thinking.

[@artemiomadrigal]

Excellent! Thank you Simon.