One and many in Aristotle's Metaphysics. / Books alpha-delta

569 Pages·2009·3.66 MB·English

by  Aristoteles.

One and Many in Aristotle’s Metaphysics
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One and Many in
Aristotle’s Metaphysics
B o o k s A l p h a—D e l t a
EDWARD C. HALPER

Las Vegas | Zurich | Athens
PARMENIDES PUBLISHING
Las Vegas | Zurich | Athens
© 2009 Parmenides Publishing
All rights reserved.
Published 2009
Printed in the United States of America
ISBN: 978-1-930972-21-6
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Halper, Edward C., 1951–
One and many in Aristotle’s Metaphysics, books alpha-delta / Edward
C. Halper.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-1-930972-21-6 (hardcover : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 1-930972-21-0 (hardcover : alk. paper)
1. Aristotle. Metaphysics. Book 1-4. 2. One (The One in philosophy)
3. Many (Philosophy) I. Title.
B434.H36 2009
110—dc22
2008024384
Typeset in Palatino and OdysseaUBSU (Greek) by 1106 Design
Printed by Edwards Brothers in the United States of America
1-888-PARMENIDES
www.parmenides.com
to my parents,
Robert and Audrey Halper
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Contents
Analytical Table of Contents xi
Abbreviations xxv
Glossary xxvii
Introduction xxxv
Chapter 1 The Problem and the Method 1
1.1 An Overview 1
1.1.1 Metaphysics and the One 1
1.1.2 Aristotle’s Solution 7
1.1.3 The Solution in the Text 14
1.2 The Problem 20
1.3 The Method 31
1.4 The Literature 43
1.4.1 Treatments of the One/Many Problem 43
1.4.2 Problems in A-Δ 48
Chapter 2 The Ways of Being One 53
2.1 Pollachos Legomena 53
2.1.1 An Alternative Argument for the Three-Component
Analysis 60
2.1.2 Applying the Three-Component Analysis to Metaphysics Δ:
Real and Non-Categorial Essences 66
2.1.3 The Ways “Being” Is Said 72
2.2 Δ 6: The Ways “One” Is Said 83
2.2.1 Accidental Ones (1015b16–36) 86
2.2.2 Continuity (1015b36–1016a17) 92
2.2.3 Sensible Substrate (1016a17–24) 99
2.2.4 Generic Substrate (1016a24–32) 105
2.2.5 Indivisible in Formula (1016a32–b6) 110
2.2.6 Aristotle’s Summary (1016b6–11) 118
2.2.7 The Whole (1016b11–17) 125
2.2.8 Other Treatments of One: Metaphysics I 1 and Physics A 2 129
2.3 The Essence of One and Its Functions 131
2.4 The Series of Ones (1016b23–1017a3) 135
2.5 Same 145
2.6 Summary 149
Chapter 3 The Principles of Metaphysics: Books A and α 153
3.1 Wisdom and the Wise: A 1–2 154
3.1.1 A 1: Natural Desire for Knowledge 154
3.1.2 A 2: The Characteristics of the Wise 164
viii CONTENTS
3.2 The Number of Causes: A 3–7 169
3.3 Critique of the Causes: A 8–10 179
3.3.1 A 8 179
3.3.2 A 9: Aristotle’s Arguments Against the Forms 180
3.3.2.1 Doubling 181
3.3.2.2 The More and Less Accurate Arguments for the Forms 186
3.3.2.3 Forms as Causes 192
3.4 Book α: Infinite Causes, First Causes, and the Existence
of Metaphysics 196
Chapter 4 Book B: The Aporiai 205
4.1 Unity Language: A Paradigm 216
4.2 The Unity of the Subject Matter 220
4.2.1 Many Sciences 220
4.2.2 One Science 226
4.2.3 Aporia Five 235
4.2.4 The Possibility of Metaphysics 238
4.3 The Unity of a Principle 241
4.4 Candidates for the First Principle 261
4.5 Metaphysical Method 270
4.5.1 The Platonic Origin of the Aporiai 270
4.5.2 The Assumption about Unity 274
4.5.3 The Logic of the Aporiai 280
Chapter 5 Book Γ: The Unity of Being 289
5.1 The Subject Matter of Metaphysics 291
5.1.1 Γ 1: A Science of Being 293
5.1.2 Argument One (Γ 2, 1003a33–b19): The Causes 297
5.2 Being qua Being 307
5.3 Arguments Two and Three: Ousiai 326
5.3.1 Argument Two (1003b19–22) 326
5.3.2 Argument Three (1003b22–1004a2) 333
5.3.3 1004a2–9 341
5.4 Arguments Four, Five, and Six: Per Se Attributes 353
5.4.1 Argument Four (1004a9–31) 354
5.4.2 Argument Five (1004a31–b25) 371
5.4.3 Argument Six (1004b27–1005a18) 379
5.5 Argument Seven (1005a19–b8): Principles of Demonstration 390
5.6 Being as the Subject of Metaphysics 395
5.7 Being and One 401
5.8 The Principles of Reasoning 405
5.9 Arguments for Non-Contradiction 420
5.9.1 Arguments 1–2: 1006b11–34 425
5.9.2 Arguments 3–5: 1006b34–1008a2 432
CONTENTS ix
5.9.3 Arguments 6–8: Contradiction in Speech 440
5.9.4 Arguments 9–10: Contradiction in Action 443
5.9.5 Γ 5: Universal Extension 445
5.9.5.1 The Argument from Change 447
5.9.5.2 The Argument from Sensation 449
5.9.5.3 Heraclitus’ Argument 451
5.9.6 Γ 6: Relatives 454
5.9.7 Γ 7: The Principle of the Excluded Middle 455
5.9.8 Non-Contradiction as a Principle of Knowledge 457
5.10 Conclusion of Book Γ 459
Chapter 6 Book Δ Again 463
Chapter 7 Metaphysics: Universal or Special 471
7.1 Metaphysical Method 473
7.2 The Subject Matter of Metaphysics 478
7.3 The Nature of Metaphysics 490
Bibliography 507
Index 515