mahdi ghavam safari

Mathematical, physical, and theological sciences are separate and segregated sciences, but concurrently have a kind of unity. This is not so-called generic unity, but as a consequence of the specific unity of the meaning of being, is a special structure called Analogical unity i.e unity according to priority and latency. This structure, on the one hand, is a factor for distinguishing scientific disciplines and preventing their mix-up, on the other hand, it warranties the integrity and unity of philosophy. Therefore"Philosophy" applies firstly upon theology, then upon physics, and according to priority and latency applies upon other sciences which themselves have parts that are arranged according to the same rule and construct the network of the system of sciences. In this article, we investigate how Aristotle accomplish this special unity. In the introductory books of metaphysics, Aristotle first, in the great Alfa, characterizes the wisdom or Sofia as knowledge of the first causes and principles, then in Beta in the first Aporia, shows the perplexity between the unity and multiplicity of wisdom, and in the next step in Gamma for eliminating this bewilderment establishes his specific theory, that is to say, the unifying structure in the multiplicity of wisdom. Therefore ought not to consider so-called general metaphysics as unit separate science but as second-order science, only establishes under the multiplicity of philosophical sciences.

Aristotle in his logical works, in addition to the statement, introduces the concept of proposition and defines it based on affirmation and negation in Prior Analytics. There are two issues about Aristotle's view of preposition, i.e., the interpretation of its definition, and its relation to the statement. In this article, first, three interpretations of preposition, including Alexander of Aphrodisia's and classical ones, are discussed and criticized. And because Aristotle points to the relation between contradiction and proposition, first, the definition of contradiction from Aristotle's point of view and, then, its relation to proposition are discussed. Finally, my interpretation of proposition is explained: proposition is a statement which its relation with contradiction is considered and the attention to this relation leads to the acceptation of the rule of contradiction which is the foundation of each deduction. The linguistics meaning of proposition is compatible with this interpretation: proposition is to propose one side of contradiction, and because of this, the dialectical proposition has two forms: question form the answerer and its replay as a premise in dialectical deduction.

The first lines of Aristotle's On interpretation are one of the most influential texts in the history of semantics and an important introduction to understanding and elaboration of some of Aristotle's views. According to the classical interpretation, Aristotle generally states that one’s writings represent spoken sounds and spoken sounds are in the first place representation of reactions of the soul and reactions of the soul are similar to things and spoken sounds are, as a result, mediated representation of things. In contemporary period, Norman Kretzmann challenged this interpretation and suggested an alternative one which became a starting point for reinterpreting this chapter. This article focuses on the first part of this chapter, gives an account of some classical and contemporary interpretations, and after studying some keywords, it offers an interpretation which holds that Aristotle's main purpose was to recognize three realms of spoken sound, thought, and reality and to address common and specific rules which are helpful in solving some problems.

Corresponding to the division of the scientific knowledge to demonstrable and indemonstrable knowledge in Aristotle’s philosophy، the concept of nous has two interwoven senses. Besides nous as the demonstrable scientific knowledge، it is also regarded as the hexis of the soul. There are three specific functions of this latter sense: i) acquiring principles on which the scientific knowledge is based; ii) understanding universals in actual sense perception and iii) conceiving universal propositions during induction (epagoge). Nous as the origin of acquiring demonstrative knowledgeis، thus، both the process of acquiring demonstrable knowledge and its final result. The illumination of this point، it seems، can throw light on some of the common ambiguities about nous.

In the last chapter of his Posterior Analytics، Aristotle raises two questions about the archai of knowledge (epistêmê) that are to be answered by nous، the key concept which must be illustrated itself before getting the answers. While in both of these answers، as in some other passages، nous is introduced as the hexis of the soul، it is the second answer where nous is considered as one of the stages and degrees of knowledge. Having discussed Aristotle''s second question and its answers in the first part of this paper، we are going to recognize، in the second part، three substantial senses of hexis. Based on these senses، the third part aims to challenge some commentators'' view of dunamis as the only sense of hexis throughout Posterior Analytics. The first part of article ends with the explanation of this problem. The second part of article will examine what is nous.