Aristotle's "greatest difficulty": Universality of thought in Metaphysics M 10 and Θ 9
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216208%3A11210%2F23%3A10469421" target="_blank" >RIV/00216208:11210/23:10469421 - isvavai.cz</a>
Result on the web
<a href="https://verso.is.cuni.cz/pub/verso.fpl?fname=obd_publikace_handle&handle=59ssPTtl-Y" target="_blank" >https://verso.is.cuni.cz/pub/verso.fpl?fname=obd_publikace_handle&handle=59ssPTtl-Y</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3917/rpha.412.0325" target="_blank" >10.3917/rpha.412.0325</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Aristotle's "greatest difficulty": Universality of thought in Metaphysics M 10 and Θ 9
Original language description
Metaphysics M 10 is the only place where Aristotle provides a solution to the "greatest difficulty" from Book B: If the principles of substances are particular, but objects of scientific knowledge must be universal, how can there be any scientific knowledge of these principles?The nub of Aristotle's solution is that in an important sense scientific knowledge is concerned with particulars. The paper shows why this solution neither compromises Aristotle's official account of scientific knowledge, nor assimilates scientific knowledge to perception, nor does it presuppose any metaphysically loaded conception of forms (as either particular in themselvesor as neutral with respect to universality and particularity). Rather, Aristotle's point can be understood against the background of his analysis of geometrical thought in Θ 9. At various points, the geometrician must choose or "set out" one particular actualization of the potential inherent in the respective figure, but she must do so in a way that is conducive to a grasp of this potential in its full universality. The paper explores Aristotle's promise (most explicit in On Memory 1) to take the interplay between universality and particularity in geometrical diagramsas the model for scientific thinking in general.
Czech name
—
Czech description
—
Classification
Type
J<sub>ost</sub> - Miscellaneous article in a specialist periodical
CEP classification
—
OECD FORD branch
60301 - Philosophy, History and Philosophy of science and technology
Result continuities
Project
<a href="/en/project/GA22-11418S" target="_blank" >GA22-11418S: Mixing Body and Soul</a><br>
Continuities
P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)
Others
Publication year
2023
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
Revue de Philosophie Ancienne
ISSN
0771-5420
e-ISSN
2953-0911
Volume of the periodical
41
Issue of the periodical within the volume
2
Country of publishing house
BE - BELGIUM
Number of pages
48
Pages from-to
321-368
UT code for WoS article
—
EID of the result in the Scopus database
—