Lecture

Metaphysics: Aristotle's Theory and Natural Philosophy

Graph Chat

Chat with Graph Search

Ask any question about EPFL courses, lectures, exercises, research, news, etc. or try the example questions below.

DISCLAIMER: The Graph Chatbot is not programmed to provide explicit or categorical answers to your questions. Rather, it transforms your questions into API requests that are distributed across the various IT services officially administered by EPFL. Its purpose is solely to collect and recommend relevant references to content that you can explore to help you answer your questions.

In course

HUM-417: Philosophical perspectives on the exact sciences I

The course considers central themes in the philosophy of science. Starting from the debate between Leibniz and Newton about space and time, we move on to the transition from classical to quantum physics, the explanatory role of mathematics and philosophica ...

Description

This lecture delves into Aristotle's treatise on metaphysics, exploring the distinction between knowledge, experience, and observation. It discusses how science seeks to answer 'why' questions through general laws, the relationship between physics and metaphysics, and the role of natural philosophy in understanding the essence of nature and formulating general theories based on scientific knowledge.

Official source

Related concepts (32)

Natural science

Natural science is one of the branches of science concerned with the description, understanding and prediction of natural phenomena, based on empirical evidence from observation and experimentation. Mechanisms such as peer review and repeatability of findings are used to try to ensure the validity of scientific advances. Natural science can be divided into two main branches: life science and physical science. Life science is alternatively known as biology, and physical science is subdivided into branches: physics, chemistry, earth science, and astronomy.

Natural law

Natural law (ius naturale, lex naturalis) is a system of law based on a close observation of human nature, and based on values intrinsic to human nature that can be deduced and applied independently of positive law (the express enacted laws of a state or society). According to the theory of law called jusnaturalism, all people have inherent rights, conferred not by act of legislation but by "God, nature, or reason." Natural law theory can also refer to "theories of ethics, theories of politics, theories of civil law, and theories of religious morality.

Philosophy of science

Philosophy of science is a branch of philosophy concerned with the foundations, methods, and implications of science. The central questions of this study concern what qualifies as science, the reliability of scientific theories, and the ultimate purpose of science. This discipline overlaps with metaphysics, ontology, and epistemology, for example, when it explores the relationship between science and truth. Philosophy of science focuses on metaphysical, epistemic and semantic aspects of science.

Natural philosophy

Natural philosophy or philosophy of nature (from Latin philosophia naturalis) is the philosophical study of physics, that is, nature and the physical universe. It was dominant before the development of modern science. From the ancient world (at least since Aristotle) until the 19th century, natural philosophy was the common term for the study of physics (nature), a broad term that included botany, zoology, anthropology, and chemistry as well as what we now call physics.

Science

Science is a rigorous, systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Modern science is typically divided into three major branches: natural sciences (e.g., biology, chemistry, and physics), which study the physical world; the social sciences (e.g., economics, psychology, and sociology), which study individuals and societies; and the formal sciences (e.g., logic, mathematics, and theoretical computer science), which study formal systems, governed by axioms and rules.

Related lectures (60)

Transdisciplinarity: Integrative Research Approach

Explores transdisciplinarity in integrative research and sustainable landscape development.

The Printing Press: A Revolution in France

Explores the introduction of the printing press in France and its societal impact.

Science and Religion: Approaches and Methods

Explores the debate between science and religion, focusing on 'concordism' and the risks of instrumentalizing scientific data.

Introduction: thematic and evaluation

Introduces beliefs, including religious beliefs, rumors, and conspiracy theories, emphasizing critical analysis and interpretation of texts.

The Social Nature of Research Work