The outstanding thinker of Ancient Greece Aristotle (born in 348 BC) was interested in empirical sciences. A favorite student of Plato, he learned his philosophy well, but, nevertheless, subjected it to criticism. It is Aristotle who owns the well-known phrase about Plato, friendship and truth. Aristotle's writings addressed to the general public have survived only in fragments, however, works intended for students have survived to this day.
The word "metaphysics" came into use at the suggestion of Andronicus of Rhodes, who collected the works of Aristotle. The collection of his works consisted of 14 books: works on logic, natural sciences, books on being, works on ethics, aesthetics, biology and politics. Metaphysics was called the section on being, located after research in physics (translated from ancient Greek - "meta" means "further").
In metaphysics, the ancient Greek philosopher expounded the doctrine of the principles that laid the foundation for wisdom. Aristotle's metaphysics describes the four highest causes of being (they are also the beginning). Insteadtriple Platonic structure (the world of things, the world of ideas and matter), he proposed a dual one, including only matter and form. Aristotle's metaphysics briefly looks like this:
- Matter, or everything that exists objectively - regardless of the observer. Matter is indestructible and eternal, passive and inert, contains the potential for the emergence of a variety of things. Primary matter is manifested in the form of five primary elements, they are the same elements - air, fire, water, earth and celestial substance - ether.
- Shape. From monotonous matter, the Higher Mind creates various forms. The being of a thing is the unity of form and matter, and the form is an active and creative principle.
- The prime mover of all forms, the pinnacle and cause of the universe, the immaterial and eternal God. Reflects the moment from which the existence of a thing begins.
- The goal, or "what for." The existence of every thing is justified by some purpose; the highest goal is the good.
As follows from the above, one of the central categories of philosophy throughout its history from Antiquity to the present day has become the concept, which was initiated by Aristotle. Physics studies objective phenomena, while metaphysics investigates what is beyond the limits of physical phenomena and serves as their cause. The continuity of concepts can be seen in the modern synonymizing of the word: metaphysical - invisible, unmanifested, ideal, extrasensory.
Aristotle's metaphysics declares the unity of material and ideal, form andmatter. The basis of natural laws is the interaction
opposites - day-night, good-evil, man-woman, up-down, which form fire, air, water and earth and can transform into each other
due to the power of interaction. According to his theory, the qualitative characteristics of the essence are primary in relation to the quantitative ones.
The first stage of knowledge of Aristotle's metaphysics affirms sensory knowledge through sensations. Logic, without which knowledge is unthinkable, Aristotle considers organic science, since it is a tool (organon) for the study of being. The highest level - reasonable knowledge - consists in finding common things in single phenomena and things.
The metaphysics of Aristotle calls the mind the main advantage of man.
