Mysterious voices echo from a colonnade just outside of Athen’s city wall. The Peripatetics—scholars and disciples interested in Aristotle’s teachings—are gathered in a series of open buildings called the Lyceum. The predominant voice that bounces off the peripatoi, or walkways, belongs to Aristotle himself, who is giving a lecture on how the squid reproduces. Among the regular listeners are Demetrius of Phalerum, one of the first Peripatetics; Alexander the Great, who would later build one of the largest empires in history; and Theophrastus, who initially studied in Plato’s Academy but would later succeed Aristotle as the head of the Lyceum.
Aristotle was first and foremost interested in the why. Starting from facts, his scientific approach to philosophy ultimately formed the baseline of inductive and deductive reasoning. Reasoning wasn’t a one-way street: ample discussions between fellow Peripatetics were held on matters of politics, metaphysics, ethics, and logic—preferably while walking around. The Lyceum wasn’t a private affair like Plato’s Academy: many lectures and discussions were held free of charge. Its open approach would ultimately improve Aristotle’s works, which are nowadays seen as the foundation of modern science.