PHIL 2010 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Unmoved Mover, Systematic Chaos, Hellenistic Period
5 May 2018
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Philosophy Exam 3 Notes
Modern Phil (17th century):
• After aristotle comes hellenistic phil
• Phil identified with theology
• Late 16th century→ fundamental change occurs
o -in 17th century educated people in europe experienced the greatest
change
o -reformation
o -capitalism : hard work is a virtue; fragality is key
• Major breaks from Old world view→ earth is at center, planets, and stars orbit
around physical world -- aristotle
o Galileo changes the view of the physical world (newton proves
mathematically)
• How can humans gain knowledge?
• Descartes discovers “GPS” -- useful for navigation
• Optics is the most important science→ responsible for development of the telescope
which is careful war
• galileo→ natural state is to be in constant motion-- contrary to belief of the unmoved
mover
• Aristotle → world is perfect, galileo -->world is imperfect
• Galileo→ things in the earth aren’t composed of the 4 elements water, earth, etc
o Everything is composed of one thing→ matter everything will behave the
same) -- world is uniform
• Matter is imperfect and cannot be expected to remain constant-- theory is faulted
• Descartes disproves aristotle by simply stating that he is completely wrong
• He states that just because Aristotle said something doesn’t mean
it’s true--attack on authority
• Mediation one ( radical doubt) : how does any rational human get to know
anything?
• Perception (senses) : will not give truth
• Experimental truth : could be dreaming
• It is possible for a malicious demon to deceive people
• But mathematical truth is true even if it’s a dream
MIDDLE AGES
MODERN
Understand the world only
through Aristotle
If you want to know about the world, you must think about it. And
with your own mind and the right method, you will understand
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