Aristotle, an Ionian, was born in Stagira, a Greek town on the northwest shores of the Aegean Sea in 384

B.C. At the age of eighteen he entered Plato's school called the Academy, staying there for nearly twenty

years. Plato was quick to realize Aristotle's abilities and called him the Academy's "brightest and most

learned student". While there he wrote "popular writings" for general discussion outside the Academy.

After Plato's death, Aristotle left the Academy and lived with a few disciples of Plato. It was

during this period of his life that he took a wife. Her name was Pithias, the adopted daughter of his friend

In approximately 342 B.C. Aristotle was invited by King Philip II to supervise the education of his

son Alexander. After Philip II was assassinated, Alexander took over the throne. He later conquered all of

Greece and the Persian Empire and soon became known as Alexander the Great.

In 334 B.C. Aristotle returned to Athens and opened a school called the Lyceum. It was there that

he took on the teaching practices of Socrates. He wrote treatises and memoranda to be used as student

In 323 B.C., after the death of Alexander, Aristotle was charged with impiety by the Athenians.

This charge was thought to stem from his friendship with Alexander. Aristotle fled Athens because he

remembered what had happened to Socrates. He went to Chalcis so the Athenians would not "sin twice

against philosophy". He died the following year.

Aristotle realized that happiness in the ultimate goal of a person's life. All that a person is and

does should be directed toward this end. To arrive at goodness one must contemplate