Scholar

Aristotle

384–322 BCE · Greek philosopher whose idea of telos and eudaimonia underpins Natural Law.

Biography

Aristotle argued that everything has a telos (purpose) and that the human telos is a life of reason leading to eudaimonia. His theory of the four causes and final cause shaped Aquinas.

Key Ideas

  • Telos and the four causes (esp. final cause).
  • Eudaimonia as human flourishing.
  • Foundational for Aquinas' Natural Law.

Topics Appearing In

Exam Importance

Cite as the classical root of Natural Law's teleology when explaining Aquinas' foundations.