History of Western Philosophy, Russel: Ch-23 Aristotle's Physics

9/30/2016
- Two books
1. physics
2. on the heavens
- Nature
  Phusis is something to do with growth (acorn -> oak tree)
- Unmoved mover
- Above moon, everything is perfect - circular motion
- Aristotelian physics incompatible with newtons' first law of motion

History of Western Philosophy, Russel: Ch-22 Aristotle's Logic

9/30/2016
- Deduction
- Three main problems
  1. Defects within system itself
  2. over-estimation of syllogism
  3. over-estimation of deduction
- substance-transference of 'essence' in language to metaphysics.

History of Western Philosophy, Russel: Ch-21 Aristotle's Politics

8/8/2016
- Aristotle politics is interesting and important.
- interesting because common prejudices of educated Greek n his time
- important as a source of many principles which remained influential in middle ages.
- state - highest kind of community aims at highest good.
- in order of time 'family' comes first build on relationship of man and woman, master and slave.
- several families ->village -> state
- trade inferior - improper use of commodity
- usury most hated - since deal with only money.
- critical of Plato's Utopia and communism.
- three types of good government
  1. monarchy
  2. aristocracy
  3. constitutional gov.
3 types of bad government
  1. tyranny
  2. oligarchy
  3. democracy
- monarchy better than aristocracy better than polity
- tyranny worser than oligarchy worser than democracy.
 - since government (actual) are bad, so democracy is better.
- 3 things need to prevent revolution.
  1. Gov propaganda in education
  2. respect for law
  3. justice in law and administration.
- how large a state should be - no clear answer
- the day of cultured gentleman is past.

History of Western Philosophy, Russel: Ch-20 Aristotle's Ethics

5/25/2016
- Nicomachean Ethics and 2 more books
- Aristotel's ethics - the prevailing opinions of educated and experienced men of his day.
- Good is happness which activity of soul
- virtue is golden mean between 2 extremes.
- justice is not equality but right proportion
- magnanimous man must be good
  - depends on having exceptional social position
- discussed about friendship, pleasure, virtue in contemplation.
- Examining his ethics
  1. On the whole book is self consistent
  2. Consistent with his other doctrine
  3. Acceptance of inequality. Absence of philanthropy. Lacking intrinsic importance.

History of Western Philosophy, Russel: Ch-19 Aristotle's Metaphysics

5/12/2016
- Aristotle born in 384 BC. in Thrace.
- Plato's student for 20 years.
- Tutor of Alexander the great for 34 years.
- Lived in Athens from 335-323 BC.
- Died in 322 BC.
- First philosopher to write like a proffessor
- Doctrine of universal and criticism of theory of ideas - 'Platos'
- His metaphsics may be described as plato diluted by commn-sense
- Universal deals with such words as cat, dog, man and adjectives white, hard, round
- 'Essence' your true nature
- Three kinds of substance
  1. Sensible and perishable - plant, animal
  2. Sensible and non-perishable - heavenly body
  3. neither sensible not perishable - God and mind.
- soul -> irrational
- mind -> rational
- God is the first cause, originates movement and himself unmoved.

History of Western Philosophy, Russel: Ch-18 Knowledge and Perception in Plato

5/7/2016
- Not worthy - knowledge derived from senses - 'snow is white'
- Real knowledge has to do with concepts - "2 + 2 = 4"
- Platos' criticism on knowledge is same as perception.
- Some of our knowledge are not connected with sense organs. It is 'mind' that judges it exists.
- 3 things discussed.
  1. Knowledge is Perception
  2. Man is the measure of all things.
  3. Everything is in a state of flux.

History of Western Philosophy, Russel: Ch-17 Plato's Cosmogony

5/7/2016
- Creation theory - big impact historically.
- The world being sensible cannot be external.
- Account of creation - bringing order of chaos.
- World as one being.
- Transmigration from man -> woman -> brute -> conqueror.