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Aristotle

The Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BC) was born in Stagira in Greek Macedonia. Along with Plato (427-347 BC), whose collaborator he was, he is considered the greatest thinker and naturalist of antiquity and the founder of scientific philosophy. He also had a decisive influence on Christian philosophy in the Middle Ages. In 342 BC, he came to the Macedonian court for six years as tutor to the 13-year-old Crown Prince Alexander (356-323 BC), who later became the "Great". Returning to Athens, he established a museum of natural history and a library. Of his numerous written works, many have survived. He also cultivated an experimental vineyard with many grape varieties and engaged in a kind of scientific cultivation of the vine. Aristotle thought that while wine made people more lovelorn, at the same time he criticised the alcohol-fogged blindness in choosing a partner and asked the question about the consequences of excess: "Why is the seed usually not fertile in drunkards? "

Aristoteles - Platoin und Aristoteles (Gemälde von Raffael)

He described the bitter awakening after copious carousing as "a kind of boiling and inflammation in its final stage". He mentions the grape varieties Kapnias (see under Hatzimichalis) and Lemnia (possible descendant Limnio). In addition, he dealt (unsuccessfully) with the production of wine spirit by distillation. He wrote about the positive and, so to speak, indispensable inspiration of artists through the consumption of wine: "In vain does he who is without wine knock at the Muses' gate". But that even such great minds are not immune to error is proven by his two assertions: "The female partridge can be fertilised by the voice of the male" and "A drop of wine in a large barrel of water becomes water". Parts of his works are included in the famous agricultural compilation Geoponika. See also under Literature.

Picture: From Raphael (The School of Athens), Public domain, Link

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