Combining Texts

Ideas for 'Euthydemus', 'Metaphysics' and 'Commentary on the Metaphysics'

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5 ideas

11. Knowledge Aims / A. Knowledge / 1. Knowledge
The ability to teach is a mark of true knowledge [Aristotle]
     Full Idea: The ability to teach is a distinguishing mark between the knowledgeable and the ignorant man.
     From: Aristotle (Metaphysics [c.324 BCE], 0981b04)
Knowing how to achieve immortality is pointless without the knowledge how to use immortality [Plato]
     Full Idea: If there exists the knowledge of how to make men immortal, but without the knowledge of how to use this immortality, there seems to be no value in it.
     From: Plato (Euthydemus [c.385 BCE], 289b)
     A reaction: I take this to be not a gormless utilitarianism about knowledge, but a plea for holism, that knowledge only has value as part of some larger picture. The big view is the important view. He's wrong, though. Work out the use later.
11. Knowledge Aims / A. Knowledge / 6. Knowing How
It takes skill to know causes, not experience [Aristotle]
     Full Idea: The skilled know the cause, whereas the experienced do not.
     From: Aristotle (Metaphysics [c.324 BCE], 0981a29)
Things are produced from skill if the form of them is in the mind [Aristotle]
     Full Idea: Things are produced from skill if the form of them is in the mind.
     From: Aristotle (Metaphysics [c.324 BCE], 1032a33)
     A reaction: This resembles the legal notion of 'mens rea', the conscious intention to commit the deed.
Experience knows particulars, but only skill knows universals [Aristotle]
     Full Idea: Experience is the knowledge of particulars and skill that of universals.
     From: Aristotle (Metaphysics [c.324 BCE], 0981a14)