What was the Peripatetic school of philosophy?

The Peripatetic school was an informal philosophical institution founded in ancient Athens by Aristotle in 335 BC at the Lyceum. Its members engaged in diverse philosophical and scientific inquiries. Although the school declined after the mid-third century BC, it later experienced a revival during the Roman Empire.

What we know

• The Peripatetic school was founded in 335 BC by Aristotle in the Lyceum in ancient Athens. [2]
• It functioned as an informal institution where members conducted scientific and philosophical inquiries. [2]
• The school entered a period of decline following the middle of the 3rd century BC before reviving in the Roman Empire. [2]
• The Peripatetic school's tradition inspired the Peripatetic axiom, which emphasizes that true knowledge originates from sensory experiences and observations. [4]

Where to go next

• whoWho was Aristotle and how did he found the Lyceum?
• what followedWhat is the Peripatetic axiom of empiricism?
• a case in pointHow did Satyrus the Peripatetic contribute to ancient history?
• whereWhat was the Lyceum in ancient Athens?
• whenHow did philosophy evolve during the Roman Empire?
• an unexpected connectionHow did a philosopher from Sidon connect to ancient Greek thought?Boethus of Sidon demonstrates how thinkers from distant regions participated in and carried on the traditions of the Athenian Peripatetic school late into the Roman period.

Sources

• [1]peripatetic school (Wikidata Q194414) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Peripatetic school · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Satyrus the Peripatetic · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Peripatetic axiom · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Boethus of Sidon (Peripatetic) · CC BY-SA 4.0