peripatein

Peripatein is a term derived from ancient Greek, literally meaning "to walk about" or "to stroll." In its most common usage, it refers to the philosophical school founded by Aristotle in Athens. Aristotle established his Lyceum, a gymnasium located outside the city walls, where he would walk and teach his students. This peripatetic style of teaching, characterized by philosophical discourse while walking, gave the school and its followers their distinctive name.

Students of the Peripatetic school were known as Peripatetics. They were encouraged to engage in dialectic, debate, and observation of the natural world as part of their philosophical training. The curriculum encompassed a wide range of subjects, including logic, metaphysics, ethics, politics, biology, and physics, reflecting Aristotle's comprehensive approach to knowledge.

The Peripatetic school continued for centuries after Aristotle's death, with prominent figures such as Theophrastus, Straton of Lampsacus, and Alexander of Aphrodisias contributing to its development and interpretation of Aristotelian philosophy. While the school's influence waned over time, its teachings and methods had a profound and lasting impact on Western thought, shaping intellectual traditions in philosophy and science for millennia. The practice of walking while discussing ideas, originating from this school, is sometimes still referred to as a "peripatetic" method.