more on this theme     |     more from this thinker

Single Idea 9069

[filed under theme 15. Nature of Minds / C. Capacities of Minds / 5. Generalisation by mind ]

Full Idea

When one undifferentiated item in perception makes a stand, there is a primitive universal in the soul; for although you perceive particulars, perception is of universals - e.g. of man, not of Callias the man. One animal makes a stand, until animal does.

Gist of Idea

A perception lodging in the soul creates a primitive universal, which becomes generalised

Source

Aristotle (Posterior Analytics [c.327 BCE], 100a15-)

Book Ref

Aristotle: 'Posterior Analytics (2nd ed)', ed/tr. Barnes,Jonathan [OUP 1993], p.74

A Reaction

This is the quintessential account of abstractionism, with the claim that primitive universals arise directly in perception, but only in repeated perception. How the soul does it is a mystery to Aristotle, just as associations are a mystery to Hume.

The 72 ideas from 'Posterior Analytics'

11994 Aristotelian essences are properties mentioned at the starting point of a science [Aristotle, by Kung]
12072 For Aristotle knowledge is explanatory, involving understanding, and principles or causes [Aristotle, by Witt]
12073 'Episteme' means grasping causes, universal judgments, explanation, and teaching [Aristotle, by Witt]
23309 Aristotle's concepts of understanding and explanation mean he is not a pure empiricist [Aristotle, by Frede,M]
24068 Demonstration is more than entailment, as the explanatory order must match the causal order [Aristotle, by Koslicki]
17310 Aristotle gets asymmetric consequence from demonstration, which reflects real causal priority [Aristotle, by Koslicki]
21359 Aristotle doesn't actually apply his theory of demonstration to his practical science [Leroi on Aristotle]
12357 Explanation and generality are inseparable [Aristotle, by Wedin]
12363 Everything is either asserted or denied truly [Aristotle]
12364 We understand a thing when we know its explanation and its necessity [Aristotle]
12365 We can know by demonstration, which is a scientific deduction leading to understanding [Aristotle]
1667 Premises must be true, primitive and immediate, and prior to and explanatory of conclusions [Aristotle]
12366 We only understand something when we know its explanation [Aristotle]
12367 What is most universal is furthest away, and the particulars are nearest [Aristotle]
12368 Negation takes something away from something [Aristotle]
1668 An axiom is a principle which must be understood if one is to learn anything [Aristotle]
12369 A unit is what is quantitatively indivisible [Aristotle]
1669 The foundation or source is stronger than the thing it causes [Aristotle]
1670 When you understand basics, you can't be persuaded to change your mind [Aristotle]
1671 Sceptics say justification is an infinite regress, or it stops at the unknowable [Aristotle]
1672 Maybe everything could be demonstrated, if demonstration can be reciprocal or circular [Aristotle]
12370 Some understanding, of immediate items, is indemonstrable [Aristotle]
12371 A demonstration is a deduction which proceeds from necessities [Aristotle]
12372 The essence of a triangle comes from the line, mentioned in any account of triangles [Aristotle]
12373 Something holds universally when it is proved of an arbitrary and primitive case [Aristotle]
10918 Demonstrative understanding rests on necessary features of the thing in itself [Aristotle]
12374 Demonstrations must be necessary, and that depends on the middle term [Aristotle]
12375 Whatever holds of a kind intrinsically holds of it necessarily [Aristotle]
1673 Knowledge proceeds from principles, so it is hard to know if we know [Aristotle]
1674 All demonstration is concerned with existence, axioms and properties [Aristotle]
13004 Aristotle's axioms (unlike Euclid's) are assumptions awaiting proof [Aristotle, by Leibniz]
1675 Separate Forms aren't needed for logic, but universals (one holding of many) are essential [Aristotle]
12376 Demonstrations by reductio assume excluded middle [Aristotle]
12377 Mathematics is concerned with forms, not with superficial properties [Aristotle]
12378 The reason why is the key to knowledge [Aristotle]
16725 Some knowledge is lost if you lose a sense, and there is no way the knowledge can be replaced [Aristotle]
1677 We can forget the Forms, as they are irrelevant, and not needed in giving demonstrations [Aristotle]
12148 Demonstrations are syllogisms which give explanations [Aristotle]
1678 Universals give better explanations, because they are self-explanatory and primitive [Aristotle]
1679 Universal demonstrations are about thought; particular demonstrations lead to perceptions [Aristotle]
1680 Demonstration is better with fewer presuppositions, and it is quicker if these are familiar [Aristotle]
1681 Units are positionless substances, and points are substances with position [Aristotle]
12379 You cannot understand anything through perception [Aristotle]
1683 We learn universals from many particulars [Aristotle]
12380 Universals are valuable because they make the explanations plain [Aristotle]
1684 Two falsehoods can be contrary to one another [Aristotle]
12381 What is necessary cannot be otherwise [Aristotle]
1685 No one has mere belief about something if they think it HAS to be true [Aristotle]
1686 What we seek and understand are facts, reasons, existence, and identity [Aristotle]
12382 What it is and why it is are the same; screening defines and explains an eclipse [Aristotle]
12145 Definitions are of what something is, and that is universal [Aristotle]
12146 Definitions recognise essences, so are not themselves essences [Aristotle]
12147 The principles of demonstrations are definitions [Aristotle]
12383 There must be definitions before demonstration is possible [Aristotle]
1687 Why are being terrestrial and a biped combined in the definition of man, but being literate and musical aren't? [Aristotle]
1688 Properties must be proved, but not essence; but existents are not a kind, so existence isn't part of essence [Aristotle]
1689 Explanation is of the status of a thing, inferences to it, initiation of change, and purpose [Aristotle]
1690 A stone travels upwards by a forced necessity, and downwards by natural necessity [Aristotle]
17039 The predicates of a thing's nature are necessary to it [Aristotle]
1691 Aim to get definitions of the primitive components, thus establishing the kind, and work towards the attributes [Aristotle]
12384 Definition by division needs predicates, which are well ordered and thorough [Aristotle]
9066 You can define objects by progressively identifying what is the same and what is different [Aristotle]
1692 If you shouldn't argue in metaphors, then you shouldn't try to define them either [Aristotle]
12385 Are particulars explained more by universals, or by other particulars? [Aristotle]
1693 Animals may have some knowledge if they retain perception, but understanding requires reasons to be given [Aristotle]
9067 Many memories of the same item form a single experience [Aristotle]
9068 Perception creates primitive immediate principles by building a series of firm concepts [Aristotle]
9069 A perception lodging in the soul creates a primitive universal, which becomes generalised [Aristotle]
9070 We learn primitives and universals by induction from perceptions [Aristotle]
18910 To seek truth, study the real connections between subjects and attributes [Aristotle]
11283 There is pure deductive reasoning, and explanatory demonstration reasoning [Aristotle, by Politis]
12075 An Aristotelian definition is causal [Aristotle, by Witt]