Aristotle's Prior Analytics book I: Translated with an introduction and commentaryAristotle's Prior Analytics marks the beginning of formal logic. For Aristotle himself, this meant the discovery of a general theory of valid deductive argument, a project that he had described as either impossible or impracticable, probably not very long before he actually came up with syllogistic reasoning. A syllogism is the inferring of one proposition from two others of a particular form, and it is the subject of the Prior Analytics. The first book, to which this volume is devoted, offers a fairly coherent presentation of Aristotle's logic as a general theory of deductive argument. |
Contents
TRANSLATION | 1 |
COMMENTARY | 67 |
NOTES ON THE TEXT | 247 |
| 253 | |
GLOSSARY | 259 |
INDEX OF PASSAGES CITED | 265 |
| 267 | |
Common terms and phrases
accepted according added affirmative Alexander Analytics animal appears argument Aristotle Aristotle’s assertoric asserts assumed assumption Barbara called chapter claim clear comes commentators conclusion considered contain contingent contradictory converts deductive definition demonstration denial derived dialectical discussion equivalent evident example explain expression extreme fact false figure follow formulation given Greek hence holds hypothesis imply impossible indicate indirect inference interpretation introduced kind later lead lines lists logic major mean mentioned method middle term minor modal moods necessarily necessary necessity negative obviously offers pair particular passage perfect phrase positive possible possibly belongs predicated premisses privative privative premiss probably proof propositions proved reduced refers remark respect rules seems sense sentence shown Similarly single speaking statement suggests syllogism syllogistic taken thesis thing thinking third Topics translated true universal valid