| Posterior Analytics |
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In the Prior Analytics , syllogistic logic is considered in its formal aspect; in the Posterior it is considered in respect of its ''matter''. The "form" of a syllogism lies in the necessary connection between the premises and the conclusion. Even where there is no fault in the form, there may be in the matter, i.e. the propositions of which it is composed, which may be true or false, probable or improbable. When the premises are certain, and the conclusion formally follows from them, this is demonstration, and produces knowledge. Such syllogisms are called ''apodeictical'', and are dealt with in the two books of the Posterior Analytics. When they are not certain, such a syllogism is called ''dialectical'', and these are dealt with in the eight books of the Topics . A syllogism which seems to be perfect both in matter and form, but which is not, is called ''sophistical'', and these are dealt with in the book On Sophistical Refutations . The contents of the Posterior Analytics can be summarised as follows:
In the second book, Aristotle says that the questions that may be put with regard to any thing are four :1 Whether the thing is affected in this way. :2 Why it is affected in this way. :3 Whether it exists. :4 What it is. The last of these questions was called by Aristotle, in Greek, the "what it is" of a thing. Scholastic logicians translated this into Latin as Quiddity (''quidditas''). This quiddity cannot be demonstrated, but must be fixed by a definition. He deals with Definition , and how a correct definition should be made. As an example, he gives a definition of the number three, defining it to be the first odd number. He deals with the four kinds of cause - efficient, material, formal, and final. He also deals with the way in which we acquire first principles. He argues they are not innate, because we may be ignorant of them for much of our life. Nor can they be deduced from any previous knowledge, or they would not be first principles. He concludes that first principles are derived by induction, from the information of sense. From this idea comes the scholastic maxim "there is nothing in the understanding which was not before in some sense". EXTERNAL LINKS
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