Philoponus: On Aristotle Posterior Analytics 1.9-18

In this part of the Posterior AnalyticsAristotle elaborates his assessment of how universal truths of science can be scientifically explained as inevitable in demonstrative proofs. But he introduces complications: some sciences discuss phenomena that can only be explained by higher sciences and again sometimes we reason out a cause from an effect, rather than an effect from a cause. Philoponus takes these issues further. Reasoning from particular to universal is the direction taken by induction, and in mathematics reasoning from a theorem to the higher principles from which it follows is considered particularly valuable. It corresponds to the direction of analysis, as opposed to synthesis.

Richard McKirahan is Edwin Clarence Norton Professor of Classics and Professor of Philosophy at Pomona College, Claremont, California.

Preface
Introduction
Textual Emendations
TRANSLATION
Notes
Bibliography
English-Greek Glossary
Greek-English Index
Index of Passages Cited
Subject Index