Alexander of Aphrodisias c. 150 – c. 210
Alexander of Aphrodisias (c. 150 – c. 210) was a Greek philosopher of the Ancient era, associated with Peripatetic School and Hellenistic.
Alexander of Aphrodisias was a Peripatetic philosopher of the late second and early third centuries AD, head of the Aristotelian school in Athens at the end of the second century, and the most influential ancient commentator on Aristotle. His commentaries on the Prior Analytics, the Topics, the Metaphysics, and the De anima, together with his independent treatises on the soul, on fate, and on mixture, fixed the technical vocabulary of later Greek, Arabic, and Latin Aristotelianism. The medieval Islamic and Christian traditions referred to him simply as the Commentator, a title that later passed to Averroes, and his interpretation of the active intellect shaped centuries of debate in psychology and philosophical theology.
Key facts
- Nationality
- Greek
- Era
- Ancient
- Movements
- Peripatetic School, Hellenistic
Selected quotes
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Attributed to Alexander of Aphrodisias:
“Aristotle is best read in the order he himself prescribed: from logic, through physics, to first philosophy.”
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Attributed to Alexander of Aphrodisias:
“The active intellect makes possible the act of thinking, as light makes possible the act of seeing.”
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Attributed to Alexander of Aphrodisias:
“Fate operates within the natural order; it does not abolish the contingency of action.”
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Attributed to Alexander of Aphrodisias:
“Soul is the form of a body equipped to live; nothing in the body is the soul, and nothing in the soul is bodily.”
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Attributed to Alexander of Aphrodisias:
“A commentary is not a substitute for the master; it is a guide for the master's pupils.”
Frequently asked about Alexander of Aphrodisias
- When did Alexander of Aphrodisias live?
- Alexander of Aphrodisias was born in c. 150 and died in c. 210.
- Where was Alexander of Aphrodisias from?
- Alexander of Aphrodisias was a Greek philosopher of the Ancient era.
- What philosophical movements is Alexander of Aphrodisias associated with?
- Alexander of Aphrodisias was associated with Peripatetic School and Hellenistic.
- What was Alexander of Aphrodisias known for?
- Alexander of Aphrodisias was a Peripatetic philosopher of the late second and early third centuries AD, head of the Aristotelian school in Athens at the end of the second century, and the most influential ancient commentator on Aristotle.
- How many quotes are attributed to Alexander of Aphrodisias?
- There are 5 attributed quotations from Alexander of Aphrodisias in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.