04:07 FIRST PHILOSOPHY
In this lecture and several others, Aristotle, refers to this study as First Philosophy. It was not until centuries later after the work was found did academics rename it to Metaphysics. None of the Greek philosophers discussed the nature of existence as coming after physics, let alone name it as such. To call it such is an example of the Turning of Names, meant to deceive that what it is is what it is not. The term has taken on an air of the mysterious, claiming to sense without the senses, to suppose not demonstrate, haughty sophistication and exactly what that implies; the absence of analytics.
First Philosophy was The book for authorities to eschew and during the Inquisition of the 13th century, the pope banned it for over 50 years, along with Aristotle's other works on Nature, from being taught at the University of Paris. It was this work that Aquinas was sequestered for so many years with the mission of reconciling it with church dogma. They are irreconcilable, contraries, for the reason that Aristotle was against Plato.
What Aristotle discusses as simply matter of fact then regarding the views on this subject of the pre-Socratics, Socrates, and Plato, now places him as one of the best historians of them. Much of what we know about the other philosophers thoughts, especially Plato's, are detailed by Aristotle. The method at the onset of First Philosophy is dialectical deduction, beginning with the most reputable opinions and then proceeding to either affirm or deny them by deduction. Aristotle wrote, edited, and added chapters to Topics (the methodology and study of dialectical deductions) over the course of 13 years (age 31 to 44). First Philosophy began 8 years later and took 5 years to complete. As best I can tell, this was his last major work.
My take presented here is the most recent and I consider it the best one based on content alone. The focus has always been on the principles used to deny his contemporaries conclusions and to affirm his own. These are found in the first several parts of the work and when applied to other parts later in the work it appears that key themes later claimed were grossly mistranslated or are outright insertions.
Cover: Archimedes Thoughtful by Domenico Fetti
Recommended reading for tributary facts about Aristotle and his works: The Aristotle Adventure by Burgess Laughlin.
1 year, 5 months ago
