The Nature of Metaphysics in Aristotle's Thought

Mir Sharafoddin, Seyed Jamaledin

The Nature of Metaphysics in Aristotle's Thought

Document Type : Research Article

Author

Seyed Jamaledin Mir Sharafoddin

PhD student in Western Philosophy, University of Tehran

Abstract

In metaphysics, Aristotle has provided three definitions of philosophy. 1. Philosophy is the science of first causes and principles 2. Philosophy is the science of studying being qua being 3. Philosophy is the science of studying first being. By examining the relevant texts we show there is no inconsistency between these definitions. Indeed, each definition explains one aspect of the essence of the metaphysics: being.

Keywords

: Metaphysics

Cause

Being

Substance

Form

Unity of Substance

First Principles

منابع
1. ارسطو، متافیزیک (ما بعدالطبیعه)، برگردان از متن یونانی دکتر شرف‌الدین خراسانی (شرف)، تهران، حکمت، 1379.
2. ارسطو، منطق (ارگانون)، ترجمه دکتر میرشمس‌الدین ادیب سلطانی، تهران، مؤسسه انتشارات نگاه، 1378.
3. قوام صفری، مهدی، نظریه صورت در فلسفه ارسطو، تهران، حکمت،1382.
  1. Aristotle, The Loeb classical library, London, William Heinemann Ltd & Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University Press.
  2. _________ , The Physics, trans. Philip H. Wicksteed, M.A. & Francis M. Cornford, 1957.
  3. _________ , The Metaphysics, trans. Hugh Tredennick, M.A., 1956.
  4. _________ , The Nicomachean Ethics, trans. H. Rackham, M.A., 1956.
  5. _________ , Metaphysica, trans. W. D. Ross, M.A., Hon. LL. D., 1928.
  6. _________ , Ethica Nicomachea, trans. W. D. Ross, M.A., 1925.
  7. The Works of Aristotle, translation into English under the editorship of W. D. Ross, M.A., Oxford at the Clarendon Press.
  8. The Complete Works of Aristotle, the revised oxford translation, edited by Jonathan Barnes, Princeton University Press, 1995.
  9. Aristotle’s Metaphysics, a revised text with introduction and commentary by W. D. Ross, Oxford Clarendon Press, 2 volume, 1981.
  10. Alexander of Aphrodisias, On Aristotle’s Metaphysics, translation by W.E. Dooley, S. G. Cornel University Press, 1989.
  11. Aquinas, Thomas, Commentary on Aristotle’s Metaphysics, translation with introduction by John P. Rowan, Dumbox Books, 1961.
  12. Bambragh, Renford, New Essays on Plato and Aristotle, Routledge, 1979.
  13. Brentano, Franz, On the several senses of Being in Aristotle, edited and translated by Rolf Georg, University of California Press, 1975.
  14. Irwin, T. H, Aristotle’s First Principles, Clarendon Paperbacks. Oxford, 1999.
  15. Leszl, Walter, Aristotle’s Conception of Ontology, Editrice Antenore Padova mcmLXXV, 1945.
  16. Liddell & Scott, An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon, founded upon the seventh edition of Liddell & Scott’s Greek-English Lexicon, Oxford at the Clarendon Press, first edition 1889.
  17. Owens, Joseph, The Doctrine of Being in Aristotelian Metaphysics (a Study in the Greek Background of Mediaeval Thought), pontificial institute of mediaeval studies, Torento, Canada, 1978.
  18. Politis, Vasilis, Routledge Philosophy Guidebook to Aristotle and Metaphysics, Routledge, 2004.