philosophers, followers of Aristotle, and maintainers of the peripatetic philosophy; called also Aristotelians. Cicero says, that Plato left two excellent disciples, Xenocrates and Aristotle, who founded two sects, which only differed in name: the former took the appellation of Academics, who were those that continued to hold their conferences in the Academy, as Plato had done before; the others, who followed Aristotle, were called Peripatetics, from περιπατέω, "I walk;" because they disputed walking in the Lyceum.

Ammonius derives the name Peripatetic from Plato himself, who only taught walking; and adds, that the disciples of Aristotle, and those of Xenocrates, were equally called Peripatetics; the one Peripatetics of the Academy, the other Peripatetics of the Lyceum: but that in time the former quitted the title Peripatetic for that of Academic, on account of the place where they assembled; and the latter retained simply that of Peripatetic. The greatest and best part of Aristotle's philosophy was borrowed from Plato. Serranus affirms, and says he could demonstrate, that there is nothing exquisite in any part of Aristotle's philosophy, dialectics, ethics, politics, physics, or metaphysics, but is found in Plato. And of this opinion are many of the ancient authors, such as Clemens Alexandrinus, &c. Gale attempts to show, that Aristotle borrowed a good deal of his philosophy, both physical, about the first matter, and metaphysical about the first being, his affections, Peripatetic truth, unity, goodness, &c. from the Scriptures; and adds from Clearchus, one of Aristotle's scholars, that he made use of a certain Jew, who assisted him therein.

Aristotle's philosophy preserved itself in puris naturaeibus for a long time: in the earlier ages of Christianity, the Platonic philosophy was generally preferred; but this did not prevent the doctrine of Aristotle from forcing its way into the Christian church. Towards the end of the fifth century, it rose into great credit; the Platonics interpreting in their schools some of the writings of Aristotle, particularly his dialectics, and recommending them to young persons. This appears to have been the first step to that universal dominion which Aristotle afterwards obtained among the learned, which was at the same time much promoted by the controversies which Origen had occasioned. This father was zealously attached to the Platonic system; and therefore, after his condemnation, many, to avoid the imputation of his errors, and to prevent their being counted among the number of his followers, openly adopted the philosophy of Aristotle. Nor was any philosophy more proper for furnishing those weapons of subtle distinctions and captious sophisms, which were used in the Nestorian, Arian, and Eutychian controversies. About the end of the fifth century, the Aristotelian philosophy, as well as science in general, was almost universally desired; and it was chiefly owing to Boethius, who explained and recommended it, that it obtained a higher degree of credit among the Latins than it had hitherto enjoyed. Towards the end of the seventh century, the Greeks abandoned Plato to the monks, and gave themselves up entirely to the direction of Aristotle; and in the next century, the Peripatetic philosophy was taught everywhere in their public schools, and propagated in all places with considerable success. John Damascenus very much contributed to its credit and influence, by composing a concise, plain, and comprehensive view of the doctrines of the Stagirite, for the instruction of the more ignorant, and in a manner adapted to common capacities. Under the patronage of Photius, and the protection of Bardas, the study of philosophy for some time declined, but was revived again about the end of the ninth century. About the middle of the 11th century, a revolution in philosophy commenced in France; when several famous logicians, who followed Aristotle as their guide, took nevertheless the liberty of illustrating and modelling anew his philosophy, and extending it far beyond its ancient limits. In the 12th century, three methods of teaching philosophy were in use by the different doctors: the first was the ancient and plain method, which confined its researches to the philosophical notions of Porphyry, and the dialectic system, commonly attributed to St Augustine, and in which was laid down this general rule, that philosophical inquiries were to be limited to a small number of subjects, lest by their becoming too extensive, religion might suffer by a profane mixture of human subtlety with its divine wisdom. The second method was called the Aristotelian, because it consisted in explications of the works of that philosopher, several of whose books, being translated into Latin, were almost everywhere in the hands of the learned. The third was termed the free method, employed by such as were bold enough to search after Peripatetic philosophy was first introduced into the schools in the university of Paris, from whence it soon spread throughout Europe; and has subsisted in some universities even to this day, under the name of school philosophy. The foundation thereof is Aristotle's doctrine, often misunderstood, but oftener misapplied: whence the retainers thereto may be denominated Reformed Peripatetics. Out of these have sprung, at various times, several branches; the chief are, the Thomists, Scotists, and Nominalists. See these articles.

The Peripatetic system, after having prevailed with great and extensive dominion for many centuries, began rapidly to decline towards the close of the 17th, when the disciples of Ramus attacked it on the one hand, and it had still more formidable adversaries to encounter in Descartes, Gassendi, and Newton. See Philosophy.