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    Carmelics

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    Made withinDC&Austin
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    Home/Original/inverse
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    Inverse View

    It is not the case that Aristotle's Posterior Analytics I.4 distinguishes καθόλου (universal demonstration) from mere predication by requiring necessity, not just frequency of instantiation.

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    Reasons For

    1 perspective
    Reason for
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    • 1.Aristotle's own biological works rely heavily on statistical generalizations that lack strict necessity but still constitute genuine knowledge.
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    • 2.The text may distinguish types of predication without requiring absolute necessity; regular instantiation in natural kinds may suffice for universality.
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    • 3.Conflating logical necessity with metaphysical necessity obscures Aristotle's actual view that some universals hold 'always or for the most part.'
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    Reasons Against

    1 perspective
    Reason against
    ?
    • 1.Aristotle explicitly contrasts ἐπί τὸ πολύ (for the most part) with καθόλου, treating necessity as the distinguishing criterion of scientific knowledge.
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    • 2.Knowledge of universal demonstrations must ground syllogistic inference; mere frequency cannot warrant the logical entailment required for proof.
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    • 3.PA I.4's emphasis on necessity aligns with Aristotle's broader epistemology where scientific knowledge must be of what cannot be otherwise.
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