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has greater knowledge of it as it in fact is than he who knows the particular;
and the inference is that commensurate and universal is superior to particular
demonstration.
(2) If there is a single identical definition i.e. if the commensurate universal
is unequivocal-then the universal will possess being not less but more than
some of the particulars, inasmuch as it is universals which comprise the
imperishable, particulars that tend to perish.
(3) Because the universal has a single meaning, we are not therefore
compelled to suppose that in these examples it has being as a substance apart
from its particulars-any more than we need make a similar supposition in the
other cases of unequivocal universal predication, viz. where the predicate
signifies not substance but quality, essential relatedness, or action. If such a
supposition is entertained, the blame rests not with the demonstration but with
the hearer.
(4) Demonstration is syllogism that proves the cause, i.e. the reasoned fact,
and it is rather the commensurate universal than the particular which is
causative (as may be shown thus: that which possesses an attribute through its
own essential nature is itself the cause of the inherence, and the
commensurate universal is primary; hence the commensurate universal is the
cause). Consequently commensurately universal demonstration is superior as
more especially proving the cause, that is the reasoned fact.
(5) Our search for the reason ceases, and we think that we know, when the
coming to be or existence of the fact before us is not due to the coming to be
or existence of some other fact, for the last step of a search thus conducted is
eo ipso the end and limit of the problem. Thus: ‘Why did he come?’ ‘To get
the money-wherewith to pay a debt-that he might thereby do what was right.’
When in this regress we can no longer find an efficient or final cause, we
regard the last step of it as the end of the coming-or being or coming to be-
and we regard ourselves as then only having full knowledge of the reason
why he came.
If, then, all causes and reasons are alike in this respect, and if this is the
means to full knowledge in the case of final causes such as we have
exemplified, it follows that in the case of the other causes also full knowledge
is attained when an attribute no longer inheres because of something else.
Thus, when we learn that exterior angles are equal to four right angles
because they are the exterior angles of an isosceles, there still remains the
question ‘Why has isosceles this attribute?’ and its answer ‘Because it is a
triangle, and a triangle has it because a triangle is a rectilinear figure.’ If
rectilinear figure possesses the property for no further reason, at this point we
have full knowledge-but at this point our knowledge has become
183
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book The Complete Aristotle"
The Complete Aristotle
- Title
- The Complete Aristotle
- Author
- Aristotle
- Date
- ~322 B.C.
- Language
- English
- License
- PD
- Size
- 21.0 x 29.7 cm
- Pages
- 2328
- Keywords
- Philosophy, Antique, Philosophie, Antike, Dialogues, Metaphysik, Metaphysics, Ideologie, Ideology, Englisch
- Categories
- Geisteswissenschaften
- International
Table of contents
- Part 1; Logic (Organon) 3
- Categories 4
- On Interpretation 34
- Prior Analytics, Book I 56
- Prior Analytics, Book II 113
- Posterior Analytics, Book I 149
- Posterior Analytics, Book II 193
- Topics, Book I 218
- Topics, Book II 221
- Topics, Book III 237
- Topics, Book IV 248
- Topics, Book V 266
- Topics, Book VI 291
- Topics, Book VII 317
- Topics, Book VIII 326
- On Sophistical Refutations 348
- Part 2; Universal Physics 396
- Physics, Book I 397
- Physics, Book II 415
- Physics, Book III 432
- Physics, Book IV 449
- Physics, Book V 481
- Physics, Book VI 496
- Physics, Book VII 519
- Physics, Book VIII 533
- On the Heavens, Book I 570
- On the Heavens, Book II 599
- On the Heavens, Book III 624
- On the Heavens, Book IV 640
- On Generation and Corruption, Book I 651
- On Generation and Corruption, Book II 685
- Meteorology, Book I 707
- Meteorology, Book II 733
- Meteorology, Book III 760
- Meteorology, Book IV 773
- Part 3; Human Physics 795
- On the Soul, Book I 796
- On the Soul, Book II 815
- On the Soul, Book III 840
- On Sense and the Sensible 861
- On Memory and Reminiscence 889
- On Sleep and Sleeplessness 899
- On Dreams 909
- On Prophesying by Dreams 918
- On Longevity and the Shortness of Life 923
- On Youth, Old Age, Life and Death, and Respiration 929
- Part 4; Animal Physics 952
- The History of Animals, Book I 953
- The History of Animals, Book II translated 977
- The History of Animals, Book III 1000
- The History of Animals, Book IV 1029
- The History of Animals, Book V 1056
- The History of Animals, Book VI 1094
- The History of Animals, Book VII 1135
- The History of Animals, Book VIII 1150
- The History of Animals, Book IX 1186
- On the Parts of Animals, Book I 1234
- On the Parts of Animals, Book II 1249
- On the Parts of Animals, Book III 1281
- On the Parts of Animals, Book IV 1311
- On the Motion of Animals 1351
- On the Gait of Animals 1363
- On the Generation of Animals, Book I 1381
- On the Generation of Animals, Book II 1412
- On the Generation of Animals, Book III 1444
- On the Generation of Animals, Book IV 1469
- On the Generation of Animals, Book V 1496
- Part 5; Metaphysics 1516
- Part 6; Ethics and Politics 1748
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book I 1749
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book II 1766
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book III 1779
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book IV 1799
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book V 1817
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book VI 1836
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book VII 1851
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book VIII 1872
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book IX 1890
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book X 1907
- Politics, Book I 1925
- Politics, Book II 1943
- Politics, Book III 1970
- Politics, Book IV 1997
- Politics, Book V 2023
- Politics, Book VI 2053
- Politics, Book VII 2065
- Politics, Book VIII 2091
- The Athenian Constitution 2102
- Part 7; Aesthetic Writings 2156