The Metaphysics"All men by nature are actuated with the desire of knowledge," declared Aristotle. The philosopher's works are foundational to the history of science, and his treatise on metaphysics, or "first philosophy," is divided into sections on previous philosophical thought and theories; a refutation of skepticism; a demonstration of God's existence; an examination of the relation of metaphysics to the other sciences; an elucidation of the nature of the infinite; and other major philosophical issues. The central theme consists of an inquiry into how substance may be defined as a category of being. Aristotle defines substance as ultimate reality, since substance belongs to no other category of being, and because substance serves as the basis for every other category of being. The philosopher also defines substance as an underlying reality, or as the substratum of all existing things. He describes substance as both formal and material reality, and he discusses the relation between potentiality and actuality. An excellent example of Aristotle's dialectical method, which reasons from reliable opinions rather than known truths, this work offers a fine introduction to classical metaphysics. |
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according to accident actual admit affirm amongst Anaxagoras animal antecedent assertion belong biped body brass Callias capacity cause CHAPTER cognisant concerning constitute contraries contrariety corruption declared definition demonstration denominated doubt duad elements Empedocles endued ergy essence eternal everything evident example exis existence false formal cause formal principle Further genera genus Heraclitus herent ideas immovable imparts motion impossible indivisible infinite inherent inquiry instance investigation involves a separable likewise magnitude manifest manner mathematical entities mathematical number matter mean mode monads nature necessary negation nonentity ontology opinion Parmenides particular thing partly person philosophers Plato plurality possess possible potentiality predicated principle prior produced Protagoras quantity quiddity reason regard requisite respect rest scientific knowledge sense sensibles separate subsistence signifies singulars Socrates sort speak species spect speculators stance styled subsists according substance supposition tence thing subsists tion triad trireme true truth unity universal whatsoever Wherefore