C U R R I C U L U M P O I N T S :E X A M I N E M A J O R P H I L O S O P H I C A L M O M E N T S ( A R I S T O T L E ) T H R O U G H T H E L E N S O F S T R U G G L I N G T O U N D E R S TA N D C H A N G E A N D P E R M A N E N C E , U N I T Y A N D D I V E R S I T Y.

D E F I N E A N D A P P LY T H E T H R E E PA R T S O F A L O G I C A L A R G U M E N T ( T E R M S , P R O P O S I T I O N S , A R G U M E N T S )

Logical Arguments, Aristotle and How to Write a five-Part

Article Reviewed

Logical Arguments

“If all terms in an argument are clear, and if all the premises in an argument are true, and if the argument is free from logical fallacy, then the conclusion must be true”

A TERM is clear if it is intelligible and unambiguous

A PREMISE is true if it corresponds to reality, if it says what it is.

An ARGUMENT is logically valid if the conclusion follows from the premises and avoids any of the common logical pitfalls (fallacies) that we will study in class.

Applying logical argumentation to the five point Article

The Five Point Article Format (as popularized by St. Thomas Aquinas and Peter Kreeft) Step 1: Identify a simple yes/no question which you will address

“Article…” Step 2: List the best objections you can think of to what will be

your answer to the question in step 1. “Objection 1, Objection 2”

Step 3 & 4: Summarize your position in enough detail for the reader to know where and why you take the position you do “On the contrary…” “I answer that…”

Step 5: Respond to each objection you identified in enough detail for the reader to know why you find it unconvincing “Reply to objection 1, Reply to Objection 2”

Putting the two together

For the purpose of this class you are permitted to have your own opinion which may or may not agree with the position of your peers, teacher, chaplain, or the Church.

When expressing your opinion orally, be prepared to respond to questions that clarify your terms and premises and that probe your position for logical fallacy. When disagreeing, formulate your objection the same way.

When expressing a position in writing, use the five step formatWhen disagreeing with someone you must do the same!

Simply disagreeing is not enough. You will be expected to explain why you disagree The terms are not clear The person has not proven his/her premises to your satisfaction. The person appears to be committing a fallacy.

Once both sides have had the opportunity to speak/write it is permissible to ask that the argument end. If the other party refuses, you have the right to ask them to make their case further in writing, but you will be expected to respond.

Aristotle

Born at Stagira in northern Greece in 384 BC.

367 – 347 BC Student at Plato’s Academy.Was not named head of Academy when

Plato died; so, left Athens.Went to Macedonia and became tutor of the

Alexander the Great when Alexander was 12 (343 BC).

After Alexander became Emperor of all Greece, returned to Athens and founded his own school, the Lyceum in 335 BC.

Aristotle Continued

After Alexander died (323 BC), anti-Macedonian feelings in Athens forced Aristotle to leave, as he did not wish to suffer Socrates’ fate. He died on year later.

Only about one fourth of Aristotle’s writings have survived. Most were lost when the Romans burned down the great library of Alexandria, Egypt in 47 BC.

All the works Aristotle had polished for publication were destroyed, including many dialogues in the style of Plato but said to be infinitely superior in literary and philosophical quality.

Objections to Plato

Aristotle was generally sympathetic to Plato, but he disagreed with where reality is Plato, you’ll recall, felt we

participated in reality, but that true forms only existed “out there” somewhere in the world of ideas.

For Aristotle Reality is right here in the sensible world The world experienced with

our senses

What is the imagery here?

Aristotle’s View of Reality

Start with the material world, the world of motion (change)

Physis: greek; “a thing that movesPhysica: “things that move”Motion here means any change, not just change

of place or linear motionAfter looking at motion and change in the world

he moved on to explore things beyond that. Two centuries later, these explorations were given the

term metaphysics, or those things Aristotle dealt with “beyond” physics

Physics according to Aristotle

There are two kinds of change and bodies (beings) are composed of both.

Changes that do not alter the substance of a thing (being) These changes were called accidental My growing old is an accident in so far as it does not alter who I

substantially am and have been my whole life.Real substantial transformations

These are changes in the very substance of a being. When I eat a chicken the chicken changes substantially. It is no

longer a chicken. Some of it’s accidents have become me, some are released as calories of energy, some are waste in the sewer, but the thing that made the chicken a chicken is gone, and probably was from the moment I killed it.

Time according to Aristotle

Time is the measure of motion: there are things that move, and the measure of that movement in respect of the “before” and the “after” (succession) is called “time”.If a thing is unchanging, how do you

think aristotle would say it experiences time?

Metaphysics according to Aristotle

He never used this termAfter physics Aristotle took up the study of the

First Cause, and of “being as being”We will spend a lot of time with Aristotle on this…His idea that everything has four causes:

Material Cause: The matter used to make a thing. Formal Cause: The form (being) the matter has taken in a

present substance. Efficient Cause: Whatever generated a present

substance. Final Cause: The purpose for which a present substance

was generated.

God according to Aristotle

God was the “First Mover” or the “First Act”Aristotle referred to God as “Pure Act”

(act=actual)Aristotle also referred to God as the “Final

Cause”

For Aristotle God was the first mover but had no part in subsequent movements. Similar to deism or the clockmaker god

Aristotle rejects the concept of divine providence

Man according to Aristotle

He considers the human soul to be the substantial form of the body. He ruled out reincarnation

“All men seek what is good” What is the “best” thing for man? “The good proper to man must be the best “act”

(actuality) of his best “potency” (potential) bearing upon the best “object” This, according to Aristotle is found in the contemplation of

God and the virtues of an intellectual life. Since man also lives in society he must also practice the

virtues needed to live together: prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance.

Homework

Read Christian Philosophy pp. 272-276Quiz over this material at beginning of class

in two days