KNOWLEDGE AND DEMONSTRATION

KNOWLEDGE AND DEMONSTRATION

The New Synthese Historical Library Texts and Studies in the History of Philosophy VOLUME 56 Managing Editor: SIMO KNUUTTILA, University of Helsinki Associate Editors: DANIEL ELLIOT GARBER, University of Chicago RICHARD SORABJI, University of London Editorial Consultants: JAN A. AERTSEN, Thomas-Institut, Universität zu Köln ROGER ARIEW, Virginia Polytechnic Institute E. JENNIFER ASHWORTH, University of Waterloo MICHAEL AYERS, Wadham College, Oxford GAIL FINE, Cornell University R. J. HANKINSON, University of Texas JAAKKO HINTIKKA, Boston University PAUL HOFFMAN, University of California, Riverside DAVID KONSTAN, Brown University RICHARD H. KRAUT, Northwestern University, Evanston ALAIN DE LIBERA, Université de Genève JOHN E. MURDOCH, Harvard University DAVID FATE NORTON, McGill University LUCA OBERTELLO, Università degli Studi di Genova ELEONORE STUMP, St. Louis University ALLEN WOOD, Stanford University The titles published in this series are listed at the end of this volume.

KNOWLEDGE AND DEMONSTRATION Aristotle s Posterior Analytics By ORNA HARARI Tel-Aviv University, Israel SPRINGER-SCIENCE+BUSINESS MEDIA, B.V.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data ISBN 978-90-481-6722-7 ISBN 978-1-4020-2788-8 (ebook) DOI 10.1007/978-1-4020-2788-8 Printed on acid-free paper All Rights Reserved 2004 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht Originally published by Kluwer Academic Publishers in 2004 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2004 No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work.

To the memory of Edna Harari (1963-1985)

Contents Acknowledgements...ix Introduction... 1 1. Intellect as a First Principle... 13 1.1 The Ambiguity of the Term Archê... 13 1.2 Two Senses of Archê... 16 1.3 Induction and Intellect... 19 1.4 Induction... 21 1.5 Induction in the Posterior Analytics I.1 and the Prior Analytics II.21... 25 1.6 Induction in the Posterior Analytics II.19... 30 1.7 Epistemological Implications... 35 2. The Immediate Premiss... 39 2.1 Immediate Premisses and Skepticism... 39 2.2 Definitions and Hypotheses... 40 2.3 The Problem of the Modal Status of Hypotheses... 47 2.4 Hypotheses and the Principle of the Excluded Middle... 51 2.5 Demonstrative Necessity... 56 2.6 Hypothetical Knowledge versus Knowledge Simpliciter...59 3. The Logic of Demonstration... 63 3.1 The Modern Exegesis of the Theory of Syllogism... 63 3.2 Syllogism and Hypothetical Deduction... 66 3.3 Syllogistic Consequence... 73 3.4 The Cognitive Value of Syllogistic Reasoning... 81 4. Syllogism and the Object of Knowledge... 87 4.1 The Discrepancy between Aristotle s Theory and Scientific Practice... 87 4.2 Syllogism and Greek Mathematical Reasoning... 89 4.3 Syllogistic Logic and the Principles of Demonstration... 96 4.4 The Objects of Mathematics and Syllogistic Reasoning... 100 4.5 Greek Mathematical Reasoning... 109 vii

viii CONTENTS 5. Knowledge and Demonstration...117 5.1 Knowledge and Understanding... 117 5.2 Definition and Being... 120 5.3 Being and Essence... 127 5.4 Demonstration and Essence... 132 5.5 Aristotle s Concept of Knowledge... 139 Conclusion...143 Select Bibliography...149 General Index... 155

Acknowledgements My study of Aristotle s Posterior Analytics began as a doctoral dissertation, which I carried out under the supervision of Sabetai Unguru. My deep gratitude for his encouragement, open mindedness, and thorough criticism exceeds any verbal expression. Further, my understanding of Aristotle s logic has significantly changed as a result of my understanding of Greek mathematical texts; I owe this to Sabetai Unguru. In writing this book, I have benefited from Charles Kahn s comments on several versions of the manuscript. The book as a whole is much improved as a result of his suggestions. I am also grateful to Geoffrey Lloyd for commenting on an earlier version of the manuscript, and discussing with me points of disagreement. His challenging criticism caused me to clarify my position. John Glucker also has my warm thanks for his thoughtful suggestions and corrections. In the spring of 2002, I participated in a seminar on the Posterior Analytics, taught by John Murdoch at Harvard University. I am deeply indebted to him for his comments and support. This book was written, while I held a fellowship from the Dibner Institute for the History of Science and Technology at MIT. I am grateful to the Dibner Fund and the dedicated staff of the Dibner Institute for providing me the means and assistance that made the completion of this book possible. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to my teacher Michael Stauss, to whom I owe my general approach to Aristotle, to Menachem Luz, who introduced me to Greek philosophy, and to Gilad Eshel, who stood by me during crucial stages of this research. ix