Principles and Proofs : : Aristotle's Theory of Demonstrative Science / / Richard D. McKirahan.

• VerfasserIn: McKirahan, Richard D.,
• Place / Publishing House: Princeton, NJ : : Princeton University Press, , [2017]; ©1992
• Year of Publication: 2017
• Language: English
• Series: Princeton Legacy Library ; 5188
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (354 p.)

By a thorough study of the Posterior Analytics and related Aristotelian texts, Richard McKirahan reconstructs Aristotle's theory of episteme--science. The Posterior Analytics contains the first extensive treatment of the nature and structure of science in the history of philosophy, and McKirahan's aim is to interpret it sympathetically, following the lead of the text, rather than imposing contemporary frameworks on it. In addition to treating the theory as a whole, the author uses textual and philological as well as philosophical material to interpret many important but difficult individual passages. A number of issues left obscure by the Aristotelian material are settled by reference to Euclid's geometrical practice in the Elements. To justify this use of Euclid, McKirahan makes a comparative analysis of fundamental features of Euclidian geometry with the corresponding elements of Aristotle's theory. Emerging from that discussion is a more precise and more complex picture of the relation between Aristotle's theory and Greek mathematics--a picture of mutual, rather than one-way, dependence.Originally published in 1992.The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Abbreviations -- Introduction -- I. The Motivation for the Theory of Demonstration -- II. The Approach to the Principles -- III. The Kinds of Principles -- IV. The Subject Genus -- V. The Subordinate Sciences -- VI. Axioms or Common Principles -- VII. Definitions, I: The Per Se -- VIII. Scientific Essences -- IX. Definitions, II: Form and Content -- X. Existence Claims -- XI. Aristotle’s Principles and Greek Mathematics -- XII. Aristotle’s Demonstrations and Euclid’s Elements -- XIII. The Varieties of Demonstration, I: Universal Subject-Attribute Demonstrations -- XIV. The Varieties of Demonstration, II: Application Arguments -- XV. The Varieties of Demonstration, III: Demonstrations of Existence -- XVI. Demonstration of Essence: Another Form of Scientific Proof? -- XVII. Scientific Explanation -- XVIII. Our Knowledge of the Principles -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index Locorum -- General Index