Existence and Knowledge

Existence and Knowledge

Analysis of Aristotle’s two parts of knowledge schema based on two senses of Arche (ἀρχή)

Document Type : Research Article

Author
Ph.D. in Philosophy, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
At the beginning of his several works, Aristotle outlines briefly universal schema of knowledge as a natural and universal mental way which starts from what is clearer, prior and more knowable to us and leads to a knowledge which is clearer, prior and more knowable naturally and absolutely. For the generality of this structure, it would be a possibility to understand Aristotle’s attitude to the general structure of knowledge. Among several concepts in Aristotle, Arche (ἀρχή) could explain this structure because he believes knowing is beginning a way towards the principles of the object. Thus present article is an attempt to explain the knowledge schema and its two parts based on the analysis of two senses of Arche in the way of the knowing. From several senses of the Arche, two meaning i.e. our beginning and the object principle are in correspondence with two parts of knowledge i.e. more knowable to us and more knowable absolutely. Beginning of us is our pre-existence knowledge of the object which is more familiar to us and make possible the way of knowing and the principle of the object is the final point in the way of knowing which is more familiar simpliciter and necessitates knowledge.
Keywords

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