The Paraphrase of an Anonymous Greek Writer; (Hitherto Published Under the Name of Andronicus Rhodius) on the Nicomachean Ethics of Aristotle. Tr. Fro (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1807 edition. Excerpt: ..., which, though universal, are known from particulars. But syllogism, which gives credibility to the demonstrated principles of certain sciences, possesses both universal principles and indemonstrable conceptions. The principles of science, therefore, are universal and common conceptions, from which, being assumed as hypotheses, we syllogize, and to which, not syllogism, but induction, gives credibility; from which science, another, which is said to be under it, is demonstrated. Hence every science is demonstrated from self-credible and ultimate principles. Science, therefore, is a habit demonstrative from things that have an essential subsistence; and this so far as they are essential, and it receives its completion from such things as are first, and the causes of the conclusion, as we have defined in our Analytics. For when any one believes certain hypotheses, and the principles of a thing are known to him, he is then able to know it scientifically; since if he should not know the principles, and the propositions are not more evident to him than the conclusion, he will possess science according to accident only; for a man of this kind does not scientifically know through himself, and through his inherent knowledge of principles, but perhaps merely in consequence of hearing them from others; for if he should thus know the conclusion through the principles, he will know the principles more than the conclusion; since that through which a thing is known, is more known than that thing. Let science, therefore, be defined after this manner. That is, Axioms. CHAP. V. CONCERNING ART. Let Us now discourse about art. For of the things that are contingent, and subsist differently at different times, some are effective, but others practic; and the former...