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Aristotle's Philosophical Evolution and Major Works

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1. The First Period (368–348 BC): The Academy Years

This period marks Aristotle's time at the Academy. It is characterized by his acceptance of Platonic philosophy. Key works include:

  • Eudemus or On the Soul: A dialogue maintaining the theory of Ideas and the immortality of the soul.
  • Protrepticus (Exhortation): A letter in which he also maintains the theory of Ideas.

2. The Second Period (348–335 BC): Transition and Development

Spanning from his departure from the Academy until his return to Athens, Aristotle began to deviate from predominantly Platonic theses to develop his own independent thought, though he was still considered a "scholar" in this initial phase.

  • On Philosophy: A critique of the theory of Ideas, specifically its mathematical interpretation identifying Ideas with numbers.
  • Eudemian Ethics: Attributed to his years in Assos, still reflecting the Platonic conception of virtue.
  • On the Heavens: A work on cosmology.
  • On Generation and Corruption.
  • Metaphysics and Politics: Certain books of these works are attributed to this period by W. Jaeger.

3. The Third Period (335–322 BC): The Lyceum Years

Following his return to Athens, this period coincides with his activity at the Lyceum. Most surviving works belong to this era, clearly emphasizing an empirical and scientific orientation in opposition to Plato's philosophy. While subsequent collectors unified these texts, they are primarily the result of lessons taught at the Lyceum, published separately before being grouped into the works we know today.

A. Logic (The Organon)

  • Categories: On the supreme genera of being and predication.
  • On Interpretation: On the utterance and the proposition.
  • Prior Analytics: On syllogisms.
  • Posterior Analytics: On scientific demonstration.
  • Topics: Syllogistic resources to resolve logical difficulties.

B. Metaphysics

  • Metaphysics: The treatise on "being as being," representing Aristotelian ontology.

C. Scientific Works

  • Physics
  • Meteorology
  • History of Animals
  • Movement of Animals
  • Generation of Animals
  • On the Soul: A study in psychology.
  • Parva Naturalia: A set of short treatises on perception, memory, sleep, and related topics.

D. Ethics and Politics

  • Magna Moralia
  • Nicomachean Ethics: Contains Aristotle's definitive ethical doctrine.
  • Politics: On social and political organization.
  • Constitutions: An analysis of numerous polis constitutions of his time.

E. Aesthetics

  • Rhetoric: The art of persuasion.
  • Poetics: On artistic creation (partially lost work).

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