Theophrastus - Revision history

Karl Jones at 13:48, 27 April 2016

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‎Interests

Karl Jones: /* See also */

2016-04-27T13:47:50Z

‎See also

Karl Jones: Created page with "'''Theophrastus''' (/ˌθiːəˈfræstəs/; Greek: Θεόφραστος Theόphrastos; c. 371 – c. 287 BC), a Greek native of Eresos in Lesbos, was the successor to Aristo..."

2016-04-27T13:41:47Z

Created page with "'''Theophrastus''' (/ˌθiːəˈfræstəs/; Greek: Θεόφραστος Theόphrastos; c. 371 – c. 287 BC), a Greek native of Eresos in Lesbos, was the successor to Aristo..."

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'''Theophrastus''' (/ˌθiːəˈfræstəs/; Greek: Θεόφραστος Theόphrastos; c. 371 – c. 287 BC), a Greek native of Eresos in Lesbos, was the successor to [[Aristotle]] in the Peripatetic school.

== Biography ==

He came to Athens at a young age and initially studied the [[Platonic Academy]].

After [[Plato]]'s death, he attached himself to [[Aristotle]].

[[Aristotle]] bequeathed to Theophrastus his writings and designated him as his successor at the [[Lyceum]].

Theophrastus presided over the Peripatetic school for thirty-six years, during which time the school flourished greatly.

He is often considered the "father of botany" for his works on [[Plant|plants]].

After his death, the Athenians honored him with a public funeral.

His successor as head of the school was [[Strato of Lampsacus]].

== Interests ==

The interests of Theophrastus were wide ranging, extending from biology and physics to ethics and metaphysics.

His two surviving botanical works, ''[[Enquiry into Plants]]'' (''Historia Plantarum'') and ''[[On the Causes of Plants]]'', were an important influence on Renaissance science.

There are also surviving works [[On Moral Characters]], [[On Sensation]], [[On Stones]], and fragments on [[Physics]] and [[Metaphysics]].

In [[philosophy]], he studied [[grammar]] and [[language]] and continued Aristotle's work on [[logic]].

He also regarded [[space]] as the mere arrangement and position of bodies, [[time]] as an accident of motion, and [[motion]] as a necessary consequence of all activity.

In [[ethics]], he regarded [[happiness]] as depending on external influences as well as on [[virtue]] and famously said that "life is ruled by fortune, not wisdom."

== See also ==

== External links ==

* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theophrastus Theophrastus]

[[Category:People]]
[[Category:Philosophers]]
[[Category:Scholars]]
[[Category:Scientists]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:48, 27 April 2016
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−	'''Theophrastus''' (/ˌθiːəˈfræstəs/; Greek: Θεόφραστος Theόphrastos; c. 371 – c. 287 BC), a Greek native of Eresos in Lesbos, was the successor to [[Aristotle]] in the Peripatetic school.	+	'''Theophrastus''' (/ˌθiːəˈfræstəs/; Greek: Θεόφραστος ''Theόphrastos''; c. 371 – c. 287 BC), a Greek native of Eresos in Lesbos, was the successor to [[Aristotle]] in the Peripatetic school.

	== Biography ==		== Biography ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:47, 27 April 2016
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	In [[ethics]], he regarded [[happiness]] as depending on external influences as well as on [[virtue]] and famously said that "life is ruled by fortune, not wisdom."		In [[ethics]], he regarded [[happiness]] as depending on external influences as well as on [[virtue]] and famously said that "life is ruled by fortune, not wisdom."
		+
		+	== Metaphysics ==
		+
		+	Theophrastus seems, generally speaking, where the investigation overstepped the limits of experience, to have preferred to develop the difficulties rather than solve them, as is especially apparent in his ''[[Metaphysics (Theophrastus)\|Metaphysics]]''.
		+
		+	He was doubtful of Aristotle's [[teleology]] and recommended that such ideas be used with caution:
		+
		+	<blockquote>With regard to the view that all things are for the sake of an end and nothing is in vain, the assignation of ends is in general not easy, as it is usually stated to be ... we must set certain limits to purposiveness and to the effort after the best, and not assert it to exist in all cases without qualification.</blockquote>
		+
		+	— Theophrastus, ''[[Metaphysics (Theophrastus)\|Metaphysics]]'', 10a.22–24, 11a.1–3.
		+
		+	He did not follow the incessant attempts by Aristotle to refer phenomena to their ultimate foundations, or his attempts to unfold the internal connections between the latter, and between them and phenomena.

	== See also ==		== See also ==

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 His two surviving botanical works, ''[[Enquiry into Plants]]'' (''Historia Plantarum'') and ''[[On the Causes of Plants]]'', were an important influence on Renaissance science.
-There are also surviving works [[On Moral Characters]], [[On Sensation]], [[On Stones]], and fragments on [[Physics]] and [[Metaphysics]].
+There are also surviving works ''[[On Moral Characters]]'', ''[[On Sensation]]'', ''[[On Stones]]'', and fragments on [[physics]] and ''[[Metaphysics (Theophrastus)|Metaphysics]]''.
 In [[philosophy]], he studied [[grammar]] and [[language]] and continued Aristotle's work on [[logic]].