Aristotle

Aristotle was a Greek philosopher during the Fourth Century BC. He studied at Plato's Academy in Athens, tutored Alexander the Great, and opened his own school called The Lyceum. Aristotle applied the knowledge learned from Plato, as well as his own to create innovative ideas in rhetoric, government, ethics and many other schools of thought that are still relevant in today's society.

Rhetoric
While many were wary of rhetoric's potential to be dangerously manipulative, Aristotle saw it as an important aspect of philosophy. In his famous treatise, Rhetoric, Aristotle views the art of persuasion as the antithesis of Plato's dialectic and sought to establish it as a legitimate school of thought. While dialectic focused on two opposing sides seeking to reach a mutual agreement, rhetoric focused on one side's attempt to prevail over the other.

Perhaps his major contribution to rhetoric involves the three artistic proofs: Ethos, Logos, and Pathos, the application of character, logical, and emotional arguments is essential to rhetoric in today's society.