Account/Cause 28 Apr 202228 Apr 2022 aitia culpability, criminal responsibility, causeAristotle sets out four things responsible for changes: “On the question “why” with respect to any process of generation or change, four answers are possible; these are the four causes. 1) The material cause (the constituent out of which something comes to be). 2) The formal cause (the account of the essence). 3) The efficient cause (the source of change, what changes or makes something). 4) The final cause (the end, or that for the sake of which something is done)” [Physics 194b16] A better modern reading is “account” rather than cause. See Burge 1971, and also Frede 1987, chapter 8. Greek Words
Greek Words Greek words used in classical philosophy 21 Feb 202225 Apr 2022 I prepared this for an undergraduate class last year. I’m putting it up under the Creative Commons license here for people to use. If you have any suggested terms to add, let me know. I’ll keep it up to date. Read More
Greek Words Being 25 Apr 202228 Apr 2022 Ousia Liddell and Scott: property; (philosophy) being, essence, reality. That which is one’s own, one’s property. Substance, as in “a man of substance”. In philosophy, ousia is taken to mean stable being, substance, or essence [but see arch?, eidos]. When Aristotle introduced the notion of an essence in the Metaphysics… Read More