Theophrastus

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Theophrastus (/ˌθiːəˈfræstəs/; Greek: Θεόφραστος Theóphrastos; c. 371 – c. 287 BC), a native Greek from Eresos in Lesbos, succeeded Aristotle as head of the Peripatetic school. He arrived in Athens at a young age and initially studied under Plato's tutelage. Following Plato's passing, he attached himself to Aristotle, who entrusted him with his writings and designated him as his successor at the Lyceum. Theophrastus led the Peripatetic school for thirty-six years, during which time it flourished remarkably. He is often hailed as the "father of botany" due to his contributions on plants. After his demise, the Athenians honored him with a public funeral, and Strato of Lampsacus succeeded him as head of the school. Theophrastus' interests spanned multiple disciplines, encompassing biology, physics, ethics, and metaphysics. His two surviving botanical treatises, Enquiry into Plants (Historia Plantarum) and On the Causes of Plants, had a significant impact on Renaissance science. Additional surviving works include On Moral Characters, On Sensation, On Stones, and fragments on Physics and Metaphysics. In philosophy, he delved into grammar and language, continuing Aristotle's work on logic. He also viewed space as merely an arrangement and positioning of bodies, time as an accident of motion, and motion as a necessary consequence of all activity. Theophrastus' views in ethics were that happiness depends on both external influences and virtue. The origins of this bust remain unknown.