Aristotle

Question 1

What type of argument is Aristotle’s?

Answer 1

Posteriori
-> based empirical knowledge
-> based on experience of the world
-> inductive argument =
works backwards from an effect to its causes

Question 2

What is Aristotle typically referred to as?

Answer 2

“Father of Science”
“Father of Medicine”
-> some may believe this title belongs to Hippocrates

Question 3

What is the Aristotelian concept of Causation?

Answer 3

Something fulfils it’s purpose

Question 4

What is Aristotle’s Theory of the 4 Causes?

Answer 4

The 4 causes include:-
1. Material
2. Formal (shape)
3. Efficient (who invests energy)
4. Final (telos)

Question 5

What is an example of Aristotle’s 4 causes?

Answer 5

Example of a house:-
- material = brick
- formal = blueprints
- efficient = bricklayers
- final = to be lived in

Question 6

What is Potentiality according to Aristotle?

Answer 6

What you could become

Question 7

What is Actuality according to Aristotle?

Answer 7

What you actually have become

-> gives example of a seed = may have multiple different telos

Question 8

Why did Aristotle say that the chain of causes cannot go on forever?

Answer 8

There has to be an Ultimate Cause

Question 9

What is the Ultimate Cause?

Answer 9

-> unmoved mover
-> uncaused causer - causes everything but does nothing

Aristotle said this was the PRIME MOVER
= outside and unaware of the universe
= contemplates himself
= unlike anything else

Question 10

What are the strengths of Aristotle’s theory?

Answer 10

Based on Empiricism
-> widely accepted concept unlike Plato’s

Potentiality + Actuality concept shows how things interact with the world

Theory of the 4 causes is convincing
-> can be applied to everything and make sense

Question 11

What are the weaknesses of Aristotle’s theory?

Answer 11

Reliance on empiricism is flawed
-> empiricism being a fundamentally flawed concept according to Socrates

Concept of prime mover completely juxtaposes his posteriori argument grounded in empiricism
-> ultimate cause is something that cannot be observed

His whole argument was based on an appeal to authority
-> he was correct because he had authority (Ad Hominem)
-> blind belief in science without logic/evidence is called Scientism

Question 12

What type of argument did Aristotle reject?

Answer 12

Priori
-> he is an empiricist and so supports posteriori arguments