aristotle - history and philosophy

1Christine L. Cometa 2015

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ARISTOTLEA G R E E K P H I LO S O P H E R A N D O N E O F T H E M O S T I N F LU E N T I A L P E R S O N S I N A N C I E N T

H I S T O RY

O N E O F T H E T H R E E O R F O U R G R E AT E S T G I A N T S O F P H I LO S O P H Y

Christine L. Cometa 2015

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LOGICPHYSICSPOLITICAL SCIENCEECONOMICSPSYCHOLOGYMETAPHYSICSMETEOROLOGYRHETORICETHICS He contributed to the following fields

of study:


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“LYCEUM”T H E S C H O O L F O U N D E D BY A R I S T O T L E


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ARISTOTLE LEARNED FROM THE BEST…

Socrates

Plato

ARISTOTLE

Alexander the Great


THEORY OF FORMS

There is only ONE WORLD

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E N E R GY , DY N A M I C , I N D U C T I O N , D E M O N S T RAT I O N , S U B S TA N C E , AT T R I B U T E , E S S E N C E , P R O P E RT Y , A C C I D E N T , C AT E G O RY , T O P I C , P R O P O S I T I O N , U N I V E R S A L

T E C H N I C A L T E R M S I N V E N T E D BY A R I S T O T L E


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•We can not validate an invisible world•Any reference to an invisible world, is mere empty talk•Believing in the existence of an invisible world has no good reason since it probably does not exist.


“WHATEVER IS OUTSIDE ALL POSSIBILITY OF EXPERIENCE IS NOTHING”

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ARISTOTLE SYSTEMATIZED LOGICVALID FORMS OF INFERENCE

INVALID FORMS OF INFERENCE


• He showed what follows from what as well as what only appears to follow, but does not really follow.• Things are not the matter of which they materially consists.

• Physical attributes of human beings

• Characteristics and being of persons

The matter of which the body consists changes everyday; and the entire body changes every few years; yet throughout life, the human being remains

the same.Therefore, the human being is not the matter of which the body consists.

Christine L. Cometa 2015 9

SYLLOGISM – “DISCOURSE IN WHICH CERTAIN THINGS HAVING BEEN STATED, SOMETHING ELSE FOLLOWS OF NECESSITY FROM THEIR BEING SO”It involves three terms:• Two premises• Conclusion

Aristotle became interested in the logical system and was able to point out his interest in explanation or demonstration.

“Every demonstration is a syllogism, but not every syllogism is a demonstration. In a demonstration, the aim is to explain why the conclusion is true” (Oxford Companion)


• Invalid example: All snakes are cold-blooded. All snails are cold-blooded.All snails are snakes.

• Valid example: All humans are selfish. Confucius is selfishConfucius is a human.

INVALID: Snakes and snails could overlap as categories, but they both could also be in the largest circle without overlapping.

VALID: We might not agree that the individual premises are true, but if we accept these premises, the conclusion does logically follow.


NOTA BENE:

• A – B•B – C

• All + All – All• All + Some – No Conclusion• All + No – No

• Some + All – Some• Some + Some – No Conclusion• Some + No – Some; Not

• No + No – No Conclusion• No + All – Some; Not (reversed)• No + Some – Some; Not

(reversed)• All + No - No

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“ALL MEN BY

NATURE DESIRE

TO KNOW”


- ARISTOTLE

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A TH ING IS WHATEVER IT IS BY V IRTUE OF ITS FORM

ARISTOTLE’S FOUR CAUSES:

• MATERIAL CAUSE- answers: “What is it made of?”

• EFFICIENT CAUSE- answers: “What actually does or makes it?”

• FORMAL CAUSE- answers: “What gives it the shape by which it is identified?”

• FINAL CAUSE - answers: “What is the ultimate reason for it

all?”

FORM is that which CAUSES something to be the thing itself. The true essence of any object consists is in the function that it performs.“It is what it is.”



I F WE ASK WHAT CAUSED A HOUSE TO EX IST , AR ISTOTLE WOULD G IVE YOU THE FOLLOWING ANSWERS:

Material Cause: It is made of bricks and concrete.Formal Cause: The bricks and concrete have been assembled so that a structure has emerged.Efficient Cause: A builder put all its parts together.Final Cause: Its function is to be a place where we can sleep and be warm

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PLATO V. ARISTOTLERATIONALISM - PLATO

• Our knowledge of the world as it presents itself to our senses has only a secondary value

• Our concern needs to be something that lies behind

• Often we believe that the knowledge of the surface of things given to us by our sensory experience is very often deceptive

EMPIRICISM - ARISTOTLE

• Reliable information can be based only on direct examination of objectionable facts.


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Can be achieved by:• Engaging in the fullest

development and exercise of our capacities• To be compatible with living

in a society by observing the “GOLDEN MEAN”

• Well being is intellectual contemplation• Practical wisdom is akin to

theoretical activity• Intellectual contemplation is the

activity which best exemplifies what is good for humans


HAPPINESS

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“MAN IS BY NATURE A POLITICAL ANIMAL”

- A R I S T O T L E


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• Aristotle believed that democracy is preferable to oligarchy.•He believed that judgments of a democracy are likely to be wiser, since individuals in a group possess more wisdom than a few. •He also has the perfectionist theory which he presented in politics.


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AGAIN, WHO IS ARISTOTLE?• First philosopher to develop the study of Logic and the

Philosophy of Science.• He was the pioneer in deductive inference.• He defined syllogism.• One of the four giants in Philosophy.• One of the most influential persons in ancient history.



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aristotle - history and philosophy

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