In human history there have been many people who have dedicated their lives to seeking answers to questions that bring logic to our world. These questions are outside of our physical realm and often difficult to understand; theories about these questions are classified in a branch of philosophy called metaphysics. The founding father of this branch, Aristotle, was born in 384 BC in northern Greece. His works changed the way many people see the world and have exerted a great influence on many great philosophers to this day. Thomas Aquinas, an Italian priest and philosopher who lived in the 13th century, is no exception to the influence that Aristotle had on the world. Much of his philosophy actually uses the works of Aristotle to weave together both faith and human reason. So, given that both philosophers were critical thinkers in times of limited knowledge and resources (compared to today), one must ask: how do these theories and ideas still impact us today? I believe that the era in which they were born and the society in which they lived shaped their beliefs which still influence us today through religion, politics and nature; this can be expressed by comparing and contrasting the opinions/theories of both Aristotle and Aquinas. Religion is an important aspect of many lives to this day, helping people make sense of the world and guiding our morality and ethical decisions so that we can live in a good society. Religion comes in many forms and practices, but most tend to share similar beliefs that make it easier to coexist in our society. In the classical Greek era (500 BC- 300 BC) Aristotle lived in a society that practiced paganism or worshiped only the father god Zeus. Thomas Aquinas, on the other hand, was born in Ita......middle of paper......ed. New Haven: Yale University Press. Thomas and Regan, R. (2009). Compendium of theology. 1st ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Thomas, Rowan, J., Thomas and Aristotle., (1995). Commentary on Aristotle's Metaphysics. 1st ed. Notre Dame, Indiana: Dumb Ox Books. Vieru, S. (2014). The influence of Aristotle on the natural law theory of St. Thomas Aquinas. The Western Australion Jurist, [online] 1, pp.115-116. Available at: http://www.murdoch.edu.au/School-of-Law/_document/WA-jurist-documents/WAJ_Vol1_2010_Simona-Vieru---Aristotle-and-Aquinas.pdf [Accessed 6 May. 2014].Wippel, J. (2000). The metaphysical thought of Thomas Aquinas. 1st ed. Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press.Younkins, E. (2014). THE CHRISTIAN Aristotelianism of Thomas Aquinas. [online]Québecoislibre.org. Available at: http://www.quebecoislibre.org/06/060122-5.htm [Accessed 5 June. 2014].