Alexander And Philoponus On Prior Analytics I 27-30: Is There Tension Between Aristotle’s Scientific Theory And Practice?

Abstract

This article talks about the ancient Greek commentators on Aristotle who had started the discussion from the observation that there is a tension between the super-strict conditions on the premises of scientific proofs set out in the first book of the Posterior Analytics and the somewhat freewheeling dialectical manner in which Aristotle argues in the preserved scientific works. The author discusses Alexander's and Philoponus' comments on Prior Analytics I 27-30 and Alexander's comments on three crucial lines in the Topics I. No indication was found that Alexander and Philoponus would have seen any tension or contradiction between Aristotle's theory and practice of science. In commenting on the syllogistic scheme of the Prior Analytics I 27-30, the commentators remark only briefly on the applications of the scheme. Alexander's commentary on the Topics express his view on how dialectical arguments are to be used in philosophical sciences and in establishing scientific principles. Keywords: Aristotle; Alexander; Philoponus; Prior Analytics ; philosophical sciences