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Aristotle

Truth is:

This that are real must holdsome truth.

The empirical world is real.MC: The empirical world musthold some truth.

Aristotle refused to believe thattrue knowledge does not believein the empirical (sense) world.

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Aristotle focused on knowledge

the only real knowledge we can haveis that which is gained in theempirical world. Our experience

helps us understand the world.The abstract world of the Forms

gives us nothing to learn about.FACTS ARE IN THE HERE AND

NOW (A Posteriori Knowledgethat comes after senseexperience)

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Knowledge is.

The realisation that the empirical worldruns on the laws of cause and effect.

True knowledge is

understanding/exploring/ predicting theseries of cause and effect.

Cause and effect: every event isdependent on (caused by) a preceding

event. All events will in turn perpetuate(put into effect) another event.

Aristotle argued, based on his empiricalobservation, that nothing can cause itself

or come from nothing.

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Actuality and Potentiality

Aristotle observed that everything that

exists was in a permanent state ofmovement or motion (not moving aroundor walking) = Greek word motus forchange:

The physical world was constantly in a

state of motion and change The planets seems to be moving

eternally

Change or motion is always caused bysomething

Objects in the physical world were in astate of actuality and potentiality

Actuality is when an object fulfils its potentialand becomes something else

Potentiality is when something contains theingredients to become something else

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What is actual and potential?

Form: A form of an object is its structure

and characteristics (characteristics

allowing it to be classified as one thing and

not another its iness). The soul

Substance: the material of what all things

are made (the physical stuff for example

tables are made of wood)

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Purpose= essence

Purpose: Aristotle believed that the essence of anobject was not its form or substance but itspurpose. He suggested that the best way ofexplaining an object was through describing itspurpose (telos) rather than describing its

substance or form. When something achieves itspurpose it has achieved goodness. Purpose isintrinsic not instrumental. Aristotle believed allthings have a purpose.

Value: instrumental: things are of value based onwhat we can use them for.

Intrinsic: things are of value based on themselves andnothing else. I.E What they are born with or made for.

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Creative Task

You have been given one keytheme to discuss the similaritiesand differences between Plato

and Aristotle. You now have towrite a Childrens story thatexplains this theme in a simplebut symbolic way. You need to

have at least five pages/slidesand pictures. And you will needto do a critical analysis

explaining your work.