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Single Idea 12997

[filed under theme 1. Philosophy / F. Analytic Philosophy / 1. Nature of Analysis ]

Full Idea

The art of finding intermediate terms (the 'middle term') is the art of 'analysis'.

Clarification

The middle term is the linking concept in a syllogism

Gist of Idea

Analysis is the art of finding the middle term

Source

Gottfried Leibniz (New Essays on Human Understanding [1704], 4.02)

Book Ref

Leibniz,Gottfried: 'New Essays on Human Understanding', ed/tr. Remnant/Bennett [CUP 1996], p.369


A Reaction

This proposal is straight out of Aristotle's 'Posterior Analytics'. Nowadays we would say there was much more to analysis, the finding of necessary and sufficient conditions being the most obvious way of putting it.


The 17 ideas with the same theme [strategy and value of breaking down ideas and reality]:

Philosophical discussion involves dividing subject-matter into categories [Socrates, by Xenophon]
Our method of inquiry is to examine the smallest parts that make up the whole [Aristotle]
Analysis is the art of finding the middle term [Leibniz]
An idea is analysed perfectly when it is shown a priori that it is possible [Leibniz]
Philosophy is logical analysis, followed by synthesis [Russell]
Only by analysing is progress possible in philosophy [Russell]
Analysis gives new knowledge, without destroying what we already have [Russell]
Analysis gives us nothing but the truth - but never the whole truth [Russell]
Analysis for Moore and Russell is carving up the world, not investigating language [Moore,GE, by Monk]
Disputes that fail to use precise scientific terminology are all meaningless [Tarski]
Analysis aims at the structure of facts, which are needed to give a rationale to analysis [Urmson, by Schaffer,J]
Philosophers have given precise senses to deduction, probability, computability etc [Quine/Ullian]
Analytic philosophy has an exceptional arsenal of critical tools [Fraassen]
Armstrong's analysis seeks truthmakers rather than definitions [Lewis]
Analysis reduces primitives and makes understanding explicit (without adding new knowledge) [Lewis]
Analytic philosophers may prefer formal systems because natural language is such mess [Simons]
Analysis must include definitions, search for simples, concept analysis, and Kant's analysis [Glock]