Hey Elliot I appreciate the lecture and I plan to watch the rest of your videos because they are helpful for me studying Aristotle and Aquinas. Please continue posting indefinitely!
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:02 🧠 Thomas Aquinas defines three operations of intellect: simple apprehension, judgment, and knowledge by reasoning. 01:34 🧩 Syllogism components: premises (self-evident) and conclusion (non-self-evident). Terms are words/phrases within propositions. 03:03 💡 Self-evident propositions: predicate in subject's definition, subject in predicate's definition, or subject causes predicate. 04:13 ❌ Non-self-evident propositions: contingently true or dependent on prior self-evident propositions. 07:20 📊 Proving non-self-evident propositions: derive from self-evident premises, using logic and reasoning. 09:16 🎓 Understanding, science, and wisdom are intellectual virtues. Opinion, error, and fallacy are non-virtuous habits. 11:17 🤖 Science is an intellectual virtue that leads to knowledge through reasoning from self-evident principles. 14:12 🔬 Three types of science: Natural Philosophy (physics), Mathematics, and Metaphysics. 17:24 🌍 Distinguishing sciences by their object's separation from matter and motion. Individual matter, common matter, sensible matter, intelligible matter. 24:07 👼 Metaphysics studies being in general, separate from all matter. Positively immaterial (e.g., God) and neutrally immaterial (e.g., substance). 25:35 🔍 Sciences judge conclusions differently: natural philosophy uses external senses, mathematics uses imagination, metaphysics uses reason. 26:46 🌐 Mixed sciences combine principles from one science (e.g., math) to study objects of another science (e.g., biology). 27:30 🧠 Philosophy of the human person studies the soul as immaterial substance, differing from psychology's mixed science. 28:02 🔍 Metaphysics has four names: Metaphysics (after physics), Divine Science or Theology (study of God), First Philosophy (first causes), and Wisdom (first principles). 29:26 💭 Metaphysics consists of Critique (study of human knowledge), Ontology (principles of being), Usiology (study of sensible substances), and Natural Theology (study of immaterial substances). 30:26 📘 Logic is a liberal art and speculative science; studies spoken words to produce habits of clear and orderly thinking. 30:54 🔍 Logic studies beings as conceived by the mind, while metaphysics studies beings as they are in themselves outside the mind. 31:25 🕊️ Metaphysics (natural theology) studies God as a principle of sensible things; sacred theology (revealed theology) studies God based on revelation. Made with HARPA AI
Excellent explanation of the knowledge (science) in the wider sense of interpretation and application and the history and the nature of materials and immaterial objects in connection with the natural philosophy, theology and metaphysical aspects
Particular and individual / singular can in some cases be used interchangeably for what is not predicable of other subjects-for primary substances or individual accidents. Likewise, general and universal can be used interchangeably for what is predicable of other subjects-secondary substances and universal accidents. On the other hand, in some cases, particular is used where individual is not used, as when we talk about particularly quantified propositions (e.g., Some man is tall) vs. individual/ singular propositions (e.g., Socrates is tall). Likewise, sometimes we distinguish universal and general, restricting what is "general" to what is universal at the level of the genus or higher, excluding what is universal at the level of the lowest species. Modern authors often also distinguish "general" from "universal" by treating the first as if it has exceptions, but the second as if it were exception-less. For instance, it is true of squirrels in general that they have four legs, but there are exceptions, so this isn't a universal truth.
@@jackdarby2168 yes. A "principle" is a proposition from which others propositions follow. A "self-evident" proposition is one whose truth is known from the terms themselves. These two overlap, but are not exactly the same. For example, "Socrates is Socrates" is self-evident, but it is not a principle; nothing follows from it. On the other hand, a conclusion from which a further conclusion follows is a principle, but not self-evident.
Definitions are speeches (orationes) that signify what a thing is. To say a definition is a speech indicates that it must have parts. If I simply give you a synonym for a word you don't know, I haven't defined it. To give a definition strictly speaking I must say more than one word. A definition must also signify what a thing is. It isn't a real definition if I merely describe a thing by its properties or its appearance. I must state what it is-that is, its essence. A definition is not a proposition, like "man is a rational animal," so it is not usually described as self-evident. A definition signifies a concept, like "rational animal." Nevertheless, you certainly don't need a demonstration or syllogism to find a definition. Rather, definitions are found through one of two methods, as Aristotle says in II Post. Analytics: (1) the method of division, (2) the method of comparison. In the first method, you assume some genus and subdivide it until you come to a proper definition of the thing you are trying to classify. A good example of this method is De anima 2.1's definition of the soul. The second method consists in assuming a group of individuals you want to classify as a whole and considering what is common to them.
Good question. This is a debated issue, but not one Aquinas addresses. It obviously takes on much more importance after the artistic renaissance begun in Italy shortly after Aquinas's death. Of course, music is a fine art as well as one of the traditional liberal arts. This leaves open the question of where to place the other fine arts. In the Politics, Aristotle draws a distinction between moderate education in music, which is suitable to a freeman's education, and expert education in music, which is servile. I think something similar should be said for painting, dance, architecture, etc. Moderate knowledge of these disciplines is conducive to a free education, helping to form the mind so that it is disposed for an eventual study of statesmanship, philosophy, or theology. On the other hand, expert study of these disciplines-the kind required for professional use of them-is servile since it impedes the study of statesmanship, philosophy, or theology.
Hey Elliot I appreciate the lecture and I plan to watch the rest of your videos because they are helpful for me studying Aristotle and Aquinas. Please continue posting indefinitely!
Bro I posted this a few minutes ago mid-video and the video got even better
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
00:02 🧠 Thomas Aquinas defines three operations of intellect: simple apprehension, judgment, and knowledge by reasoning.
01:34 🧩 Syllogism components: premises (self-evident) and conclusion (non-self-evident). Terms are words/phrases within propositions.
03:03 💡 Self-evident propositions: predicate in subject's definition, subject in predicate's definition, or subject causes predicate.
04:13 ❌ Non-self-evident propositions: contingently true or dependent on prior self-evident propositions.
07:20 📊 Proving non-self-evident propositions: derive from self-evident premises, using logic and reasoning.
09:16 🎓 Understanding, science, and wisdom are intellectual virtues. Opinion, error, and fallacy are non-virtuous habits.
11:17 🤖 Science is an intellectual virtue that leads to knowledge through reasoning from self-evident principles.
14:12 🔬 Three types of science: Natural Philosophy (physics), Mathematics, and Metaphysics.
17:24 🌍 Distinguishing sciences by their object's separation from matter and motion. Individual matter, common matter, sensible matter, intelligible matter.
24:07 👼 Metaphysics studies being in general, separate from all matter. Positively immaterial (e.g., God) and neutrally immaterial (e.g., substance).
25:35 🔍 Sciences judge conclusions differently: natural philosophy uses external senses, mathematics uses imagination, metaphysics uses reason.
26:46 🌐 Mixed sciences combine principles from one science (e.g., math) to study objects of another science (e.g., biology).
27:30 🧠 Philosophy of the human person studies the soul as immaterial substance, differing from psychology's mixed science.
28:02 🔍 Metaphysics has four names: Metaphysics (after physics), Divine Science or Theology (study of God), First Philosophy (first causes), and Wisdom (first principles).
29:26 💭 Metaphysics consists of Critique (study of human knowledge), Ontology (principles of being), Usiology (study of sensible substances), and Natural Theology (study of immaterial substances).
30:26 📘 Logic is a liberal art and speculative science; studies spoken words to produce habits of clear and orderly thinking.
30:54 🔍 Logic studies beings as conceived by the mind, while metaphysics studies beings as they are in themselves outside the mind.
31:25 🕊️ Metaphysics (natural theology) studies God as a principle of sensible things; sacred theology (revealed theology) studies God based on revelation.
Made with HARPA AI
Excellent explanation of the knowledge (science) in the wider sense of interpretation and application and the history and the nature of materials and immaterial objects in connection with the natural philosophy, theology and metaphysical aspects
Quality content. Don't stop!
What's the difference between particular, general, individual and universal?
Particular and individual / singular can in some cases be used interchangeably for what is not predicable of other subjects-for primary substances or individual accidents. Likewise, general and universal can be used interchangeably for what is predicable of other subjects-secondary substances and universal accidents. On the other hand, in some cases, particular is used where individual is not used, as when we talk about particularly quantified propositions (e.g., Some man is tall) vs. individual/ singular propositions (e.g., Socrates is tall). Likewise, sometimes we distinguish universal and general, restricting what is "general" to what is universal at the level of the genus or higher, excluding what is universal at the level of the lowest species. Modern authors often also distinguish "general" from "universal" by treating the first as if it has exceptions, but the second as if it were exception-less. For instance, it is true of squirrels in general that they have four legs, but there are exceptions, so this isn't a universal truth.
@@ElliotPolskyPhilosophy Thanks 👍
@@ElliotPolskyPhilosophy is self-evident propositions sometimes called principles
@@jackdarby2168 yes. A "principle" is a proposition from which others propositions follow. A "self-evident" proposition is one whose truth is known from the terms themselves. These two overlap, but are not exactly the same. For example, "Socrates is Socrates" is self-evident, but it is not a principle; nothing follows from it. On the other hand, a conclusion from which a further conclusion follows is a principle, but not self-evident.
What's the definition of "definition". To define? What is "define" then? To make clear? Is it taken as self-evident?
Definitions are speeches (orationes) that signify what a thing is. To say a definition is a speech indicates that it must have parts. If I simply give you a synonym for a word you don't know, I haven't defined it. To give a definition strictly speaking I must say more than one word. A definition must also signify what a thing is. It isn't a real definition if I merely describe a thing by its properties or its appearance. I must state what it is-that is, its essence. A definition is not a proposition, like "man is a rational animal," so it is not usually described as self-evident. A definition signifies a concept, like "rational animal." Nevertheless, you certainly don't need a demonstration or syllogism to find a definition. Rather, definitions are found through one of two methods, as Aristotle says in II Post. Analytics: (1) the method of division, (2) the method of comparison. In the first method, you assume some genus and subdivide it until you come to a proper definition of the thing you are trying to classify. A good example of this method is De anima 2.1's definition of the soul. The second method consists in assuming a group of individuals you want to classify as a whole and considering what is common to them.
Is fine art liberal or servile?
Good question. This is a debated issue, but not one Aquinas addresses. It obviously takes on much more importance after the artistic renaissance begun in Italy shortly after Aquinas's death. Of course, music is a fine art as well as one of the traditional liberal arts. This leaves open the question of where to place the other fine arts. In the Politics, Aristotle draws a distinction between moderate education in music, which is suitable to a freeman's education, and expert education in music, which is servile. I think something similar should be said for painting, dance, architecture, etc. Moderate knowledge of these disciplines is conducive to a free education, helping to form the mind so that it is disposed for an eventual study of statesmanship, philosophy, or theology. On the other hand, expert study of these disciplines-the kind required for professional use of them-is servile since it impedes the study of statesmanship, philosophy, or theology.
@@ElliotPolskyPhilosophy Does life imitate art or does art imitate life?