Introduction to "Reading" Thales: The Effect of his Thinking in Aristotle's Metaphysics
Philippine Journals Online
View Archive Info| Field | Value | |
| Title |
Introduction to "Reading" Thales: The Effect of his Thinking in Aristotle's Metaphysics
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| Creator |
Darren Gustafson; School of Humanities, Ateneo de Manila University
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| Subject |
Humanities
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| Description |
Has Aristotle misunderstood or misrepresented Thales? He cites him as saying that Water is the cause of all things, when clearly this category is anachronistic. Cause is Aristotle's polemic, not Thales'. What Thales actually said was a good deal more enigmatic. Aristotle has made a gigantic leap in his interpretation, but it is my contention that his interpretation is not a misrepresentation, but the effect of Thales' enigmatic thinking. Philosopical thinking is not adequately represented as contents; when something is said it comes to have an effect. Thales, then, in so few words, anticipates a cosmology; Earth rests on Water implies a belonging together of opposites that Aristotle will later develop as an effect of Thales' saying. When Aristotle construes Thales in this way, he extends not only the content but also the effectivity of Thalesian thinking, when then continues to have an effect in history of thought. All philosophical, retorical writing is effective in this way -- not only communicating content, but also constituting an effect
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| Publisher |
Loyola Schools, Ateneo de Manila University
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| Contributor |
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| Date |
2008-05-22
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—
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| Format |
application/pdf
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| Identifier |
http://www.philjol.info/index.php/LSR/article/view/194
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| Source |
Loyola Schools Review; Vol 6 (2007); 49-68
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| Language |
en
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| Coverage |
Philippines
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| Rights |
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