aristotles goal of nature philosophy

8/13/2019 Aristotles Goal of Nature Philosophy

1/12


2/12

The first empiricist

Hero and Rebel

Student of Plato

Wanted to investigate nature

His work has been used as basic for

a long time and for some things is even

considered relevant up to know.

384322 B.C.E


3/12

Disagreement Parmenides

No Change

Suggest Not Being which can not be the case

But we see change all the time

Physics gives a more detailed account

Aristotle puts experience before

philosophy


4/12

Disagreement Plato

Forms / universals are in a

different realm

Only some people are

enlightened enough to see this

(AKA Philosophers like Plato)

This does not explain changes or

existence

Difficult relation between form andmatter


5/12

Natural Philosophy

Practical, Productive or Theoretical

Ethics?

Physics vs meta physics

First philosophy?

Study of nature vs study of being qua being.

Meta physics needs to be studied through physics.

Is the search for first principles

Knowing a fact vs knowing why


6/12

Causes

Material cause:things have properties, because they are

made from a certain material like stone

Formal cause:the thing is something because of its form. This

is a statue because it has the form of a statue

Efficient or movement cause: what made the thing as it is

mechanically. This would be the sculptor of the statue

Final cause: This is what the thing is meant to be, meant to

do. The statue could let you remember someone or honor

someone.


7/12

Nature

a principle or cause of being moved and of being at rest inthat to which it belongs primarily, in virtue of itself, and notaccidentally (195b22-23).

Something is natural if it produces its ownmovement/change/growth/reproduction etc.

Physics is study of change

Nature is what somethingis supposed to be.

Compare with Platosforms


8/12

How?

Aristotle is studying nature to find causes that lead him to the

final cause, which can then be used as a universal

explanation.

Look for similarities (experience)

As are Cs because of B.

Oaks are leave shedding because the are broad leaved

(reason)


9/12

Is it a different method?

It is plain, then, that the teaching of the old physiologists is

inadequate, and that the true method is to state what the

definitive characters are that distinguish the animal as a

whole; to explain what it is both in substance and in form, and

to deal after the same fashion with its several organs; in fact,to proceed in exactly the same way as we should do, were we

giving a complete description of a couch.

MIT translation, Part of animals, part 1


10/12

Small problem

Do you need a final cause?

A regularity needs an explanation

A final cause can explain this regularity

Things are the way they are, because they are supposed to be

that way.

But material cause still necessary

Why do hairs grow on your head?


11/12

Question

Explaining with final causes is teleological.

We explain by stating that its is so because it has to be so, or that

is good that it is so, or that it is inherent that it is so, or that it is in

the nature etc.

This practice still continues today. Especially in certain types of

discussions.

What do you think, are these kind of explanations valid?


12/12

Resources used

Cambridge Companion to Aristotle Barnes

Stanford encyclopedia on Aristotle

Sparknotes on Aristotle

http://classics.mit.edu/Browse/index-Aristotle.html

Translations used by MIT students
http://classics.mit.edu/Browse/index-Aristotle.htmlhttp://classics.mit.edu/Browse/index-Aristotle.htmlhttp://classics.mit.edu/Browse/index-Aristotle.htmlhttp://classics.mit.edu/Browse/index-Aristotle.htmlhttp://classics.mit.edu/Browse/index-Aristotle.html

aristotles goal of nature philosophy

Documents