Ancient Philosophical Influences: Aristotle

Aristotle opposed Plato’s thinking - what are the three key differences?

• A posteriori

• Knowledge through experiences

• Humans + all natural life are the real world

A posteriori

Knowledge that is dependent on experience or empirical evidence, as opposed to a priori knowledge, which is independent of experience (Plato innate knowledge)

What was Aristotle’s understanding of reality?

There are 2 dimensions: form + matter

Form

The object’s essence/ specific characteristics - cannot exist beyond the object

*Not the same as Plato’s ‘form’

Matter

The ‘stuff’ a thing is made of

What type of philosopher is Aristotle? (2 terms)

Empiricist + (soft) materialist

Aetion

Cause/what something looks like or what it is made from

How do Plato + Aristotle’s ideas on the goodness of an object differ?

Plato - object’s ability to imitate its ideal/true form = shows how good object is

Aristotle - if object satisfies its final cause/telos then it is good - focuses on the purpose to determine goodness (teleological approach)

Teleological

Focuses on the purpose or end goal

Unmoved Mover

A being that causes motion and change in the universe without being subject to change itself.

Doesn’t push or pull things like a physical force. Instead, it draws everything toward itself as a perfect, unchanging being.

How does each object get is final cause? (purpose)

Imposed upon object (it is extrinsic) e.g. the metal in an axe in order to cut wood - the metal doesn’t have that purpose - we give it that purpose

*Some goals are intrinsic e.g. you choose to study philosophy to gain more wisdom

How many ways did Aristotle believe that ‘cause could be understood? What is the acronym?

4 different ways

MEFF

Material

Substance or matter from which a thing is made e.g. material cause of a chair can be wood

Isn’t enough to explain object’s true purpose. Material is necessary but doesn’t give us the whole answering understanding an object's final cause.

Efficient

The agent or process that brings something into existence; it is the cause that actively produces an effect, such as a carpenter who builds a chair.

This answers the question of how it happens

Formal

Provides the form. Tells us the characteristics that make the object fit into whatever category e.g. the statue is a statue, not a lump of marble

The form or arrangement of a thing that determines its essence or nature - this answers the question of what something is.

Final

The purpose or end for which an object exists; it answers the question of why something is made, reflecting its ultimate goal or function. This is teleology - everything has a purpose.

(So when something is said to be ‘good’ - it is because it has fulfilled its purpose)

What are Aristotle’s thoughts on change?

Change doesn’t happen by accident; it occurs due to a process of potentiality being actualized, where something transitions from a state of possibility to reality.

There is a sense of order to it - predictable. It is the unfolding of what is already within the object.

Why did Aristotle come up with the Prime Mover?

Understanding the causes of objects at different levels wasn’t enough for Aristotle. He wanted to know the universe’s whole purpose + what causes objects in the universe to actualise their potential (Efficient + final)

Prime mover = unmoved mover

The first cause of all motion and change in the universe, which itself is not caused by anything else, representing pure actuality.

Cause of the universe must be God - God must be the Prime Mover, a cause which actualises potential in everything else but also causes without being affected (otherwise would be an endless chain)

Characteristics of prime/unmoved mover

• Eternal - if God can’t change, then he can’t cease to be; + if he exists, then he must have always existed

• Perfectly good - badness is related to some kind of lacking. if God is pure actuality - he must contain everything that ought to be there

• Pure actuality - as already perfect

• Necessary existence - cannot not exist; its existence is essential for everything else to exist.

Evaluation of Aristotle

• His work lacks clarity + is difficult to follow - often contradicting himself - however, this may be due to the fact that his work was never meant for publication or these are his students’ notes

• His rejection of Plato’s belief - maybe should have been more willing to accept that there are other ways to gain knowledge

• Aristotle’s belief that the universe must have a telos has been criticised - it just exists, nothing the universe is ‘supposed to do’ - it is the result of chance