Aristolte Flashcards
What belief is it when ‘knowledge is gained by our sense experience of the physical or material world’
Empiricist
What did Aristotle reject as the basis of knowledge
Rationalism. Plato’s particular idea of rationalism which was innate rationalism, the idea that we have within us some truths that we learnt in some prior existence
Why does Aristotle reject the idea of the realm of the form?
Because we don’t need need it as an explanation, we don’t need to rely on reason to acquire knowledge.
What would Aristotle argue against the realm of the forms?
He argues that we have an innate capacity to perceive and that everything we know comes from perception of the physical world.
In Aristotle thinking, what is knowledge best achieved through what?
Through careful observation
What is Aristotle most important observation about the physical world?
That everything and everyone has a telos, a purpose.
In Aristotle thinking how do we know something truly?
By understanding it’s telos
What are Aristotle four causes in order
- Material Cause
- Formal Cause
- Efficient Cause
- Final Cause
What is it meant by the material cause?
‘What is it made of?’
e.g. the bronze of a statue
What is it meant by formal cause
‘How is it arranged?’
e.g. What is the shape of the bronze statue
What is it meant by the efficient cause?
‘Who or what made it?’
e.g. The artist of the statue or the father of a child
What is it meant by final cause?’
‘What is it’s purpose’
e.g. Good health is the final cause of exercising
What happens when we understand all four causes of an object?
We grasp the nature of that object or person
