Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Aristotle - Ancient Greek Influences, image, image - Coggle Diagram
Aristotle - Ancient Greek Influences
Purpose
Telos
is the word used to describe something that achieves its
final purpose
Everything needs to change in order for it to come to its final end, ultimate purpose
There is nothing in existence, according to Aristotle, that does not have a purpose
The 'form' makes the thing have particular qualities/essence. Form makes it what it is (think of the formal cause).
Teleology
= study of purpose/final cause
Aristotle believes change is a good thing.
The Four Causes
Formal Cause
Describes how we know what something is e.g. shape and characteristics
Efficient Cause
Describes the process of coming into existence e.g. silversmith
Final cause
Describes the telos, why the object is here e.g. a ring could have an ornamental purpose
Material Cause (matter)
Describes the matter that something is made from e.g. ring = metal
Prime Mover
e.g. The motion of planets is eternal, there must be an eternal cause of motion (Prime Mover)
The Prime Mover is considered the 'Final' Cause as it has no material, formal or efficient causes. Prime mover is
pure actuality
as it does not change but its existence is
necessary.
As
"nothing comes from nothing"
there must be an ultimate Prime Mover
PM does not move or have desire/knowledge to move. PM only thinks about itself and is only aware of itself.
Attraction
- attracting things towards it by sheer will/consciousness of the PM. Everything in the universe is attracted to the PM.
Aristotle examined the world around him using his sense (empiricist + posteriori)
Aristotle disagreed with a lot of Plato's main teachings
Aristotle believed that everything we need is in this world
Aristotle's Theory basically says all reality around us in the material world consists of material (matter) and form (essence). He believes in no separate ROF thus the material world is the real world e.g. form makes a tree a tree however form gives the tree it's essence.
Potentiality - Actuality
Everything possesses within it potential to change.
This change happens through four causes (stages)
In order for something to reach its final purpose/telos it must go through four causes
Once it has achieved it's purpose, it exists in a new actual state (actuality)
Potentiality
is the quality something possesses - something it can do if the conditions are right.
If the conditions are right then the potentiality becomes actuality when it achieves its purpose.
This state of actuality then has the potential to change -
continuous cycle of change and motion.
If something can change, it exists in one 'actual' state and has the 'potential' to become another state.
Evaluation of Empiricism
Takes into account how the world really works (facts + evidence) :smiley:
Widely used in science as a method of proving and disproving theories. :smiley:
Hume
- argue that under normal circumstances our senses do not lie and the more we repeat something the better idea we have of it. :smiley:
Sense data is indirect, there is mediation between sensation and perception :warning:
There is also no way of knowing if what we are seeing is reality :warning:
Many people experienced hallucinations or lucid dreams so the senses can be easily deceived :warning:
Qualities
Transcendent
- separate from universe/change/motion
Unchanged
- not changed remains in a pure state of actuality with no potential.
Necessary
- cannot fail to exist
Perfection
- PM has no potential but is pure actuality
Pure goodness
- if you lack goodness, potential to become better (change)
Eternal
- not affected by passing time because exists outside time.
Is the
final cause
- the reason the universe is the way it is.
