Aristotle vs Socrates
Who? Pick one and see how the world splits.
- Aristotle Ancient Greece · 384–322 BC 64% · #3 in the world
- Socrates Ancient Greece · 470–399 BC 36% · #14 in the world
What the votes say
The world picks Aristotle over Socrates, 64% to 36%. Aristotle is #3 of the 185 thinkers in the world ranking and Socrates #14; among the 13 from Ancient Greece, they are #1 and #3.
The case for each
Aristotle: The great organiser of knowledge: logic, physics, biology, ethics, politics, rhetoric. Studied under Plato, taught Alexander the Great, and shaped science and philosophy for nearly two thousand years.
Socrates: Plato's teacher, who never wrote a word: the questioner of Athens, made to drink hemlock in 399 BC. The Socratic method still runs law schools and classrooms.
Side by side
| Aristotle | Socrates | |
|---|---|---|
| World rank | #3 | #14 |
| Country | Ancient Greece | Ancient Greece |
| Lived | 384–322 BC | 470–399 BC |