Aristotle's Organon Flashcards
what is the different between a subject and predicate?
subject: object
predicate: to attach something (in a sentence) to a subject
e.g. the ball (subject) is red (predicate)
what is the difference between word and term?
word: has a specific meaning
term: what we use to refer to properties in the world
terms only have meaning when contextualized
what is true of words said in combination?
- things said NOT in combination cannot be T or F
- have to have a combination to be either T or F
- a statement can be sometimes true or sometimes false → never both
e.g. Prof. Styloes + stands = Prof. Styoles stands (combination)
what is eidos?
“species” or “form”
what is genos?
a kind/kinds
whats the difference between something said of a subject vs. not said of a subject?
said of: universal
(e.g. man, length)
not said of: particulars (individual)
(e.g. Socrates, 2 ft.)
what is the difference between something in a subject vs. not in a subject?
in a subject: what belongs in something, not as a part (attributes)
(e.g. the red ball → the ball exists outside of redness)
not in a subject: “what is” (substances)
what is bottom up - top down reasoning?
bottom up: reasoning starts with a concrete conceptual realm → moves from concrete to abstract univsersal truths (to first principles)
top down: can go from the abstract back down to concrete to prove things (from first principles)
what is a syllogism?
an argument with two premises
premises = two propositions used to support a 3rd proposition (conc.)
e.g. Socrates is a man + All men are mortal = Socrates is mortal
what does “to to einai” mean?
what it is to be
what is scientific knowledge (epistasthai) according to Aristotle?
demonstrable knowledge that can be proved using an argument
what is understanding (nous) according to Aristotle?
to grasp a non-demonstrative principle
what is wisdom?
wisdom = understanding + knowledge
what is an empiricist?
hint: Aristotle was an empiricist
someone who believes that all knowledge is based on experience
Plato contradicts this by questioning how you can possibly know something without experience → believed we are born with knowledge in the soul (Aristotle rejects this)
