Aristotle on False Reasoning

Scott G. Schreiber

Description

Presenting the first book-length study in English of Aristotle's Sophistical Refutations, this work takes a fresh look at this seminal text on false reasoning. Through a careful and critical analysis of Aristotle's examples of sophistical reasoning, Scott G. Schreiber explores Aristotle's rationale for his taxonomy of twelve fallacy types. Contrary to certain modern attempts to reduce all fallacious reasoning to either errors of logical form or linguistic imprecision, Aristotle insists that, as important as form and language are, certain types of false reasoning derive their persuasiveness from mistaken beliefs about the nature of language and the nature of the world.

List of Abbreviations
Preface Introduction: Reasoning and the Sophistical Refutations

Aristotle on the Kinds of Reasoning
The Sophistical Refutations
Outline of the Book

PART 1: FALLACIES DUE TO LANGUAGE

1: The Power of Names

Naming Is Not Like Counting
"Counters"
"Signifiers"
Conclusion

2: Homonymy and Amphiboly

Introduction: Aristotle's Use of Language
The Six Sources of False Reasoning Due to Language
Homonymy

Homonymy in the Categories
Homonymy in S.E.

Amphiboly

Amphiboly in S.E.
Amphiboly Outside the Organon
Problems with Aristotle's Distinction: The Argument of S.E. 17
Conclusion

3: Form of the Expression

Introduction
Form of the Expression As a Category Mistake

Confusion of Substance with Quantity
Confusion of Substance with Relative
Confusion of Substance with Quality
Confusion of Substance with Time
Confusion of Activity with "Being-Affected"
Confusion of Activity with Quality

Form of the Expression Fallacies That Are Not Category Mistakes

Confusion of a Particular with a Universal
Confusion of One Particular Substance with Another
Confusions Based on Gender Terminations

Form of the Expression and Solecism: Aristotle and Protagoras
Form of the Expression As a Linguistic Fallacy of Double Meaning

4: Composition, Division, and Accent

Difficulties and Procedure
Fallacies Due to Accent

Fallacies Due to Composition and Division (C/D)

C/D Fallacies Are Not Examples of Double Meaning
The Primacy of Oral Speech
Further Examples
Confusing Linguistic Parts and Wholes
C/D Fallacies in the Rhetoric

Conclusion

PART 2: RESOLUTIONS OF FALSE ARGUMENTS

5: Resolutions of False Arguments

Introduction
Principles of Aristotelian Analytical Method
Two Kinds of Resolution
The Principle of Parsimony
Proper Refutations and Their Defects: Ignoratio Elenchi
Resolutions of Fallacies Due to Language

How These Fallacies Violate the Definition of a Refutation
The Unity of Composition and Division: S.E. 23
The Extralinguistic Component of Resolutions to Linguistic Fallacies

PART 3: FALLACIES OUTSIDE OF LANGUAGE

6: Begging the Question and Non-Cause As Cause

Introduction
The Fallacy of Begging the Question

Begging the Question in the Prior Analytics
Begging the Question in Dialectical Reasoning
Begging the Question and Immediate Inferences

Resolutions
The Fallacy of Treating a Non-Cause As a Cause
Conclusion

7: Accident and Consequent

Introduction
Fallacies Due to Accident and Their Resolutions
False Resolutions to Fallacies Due to Accident

False Resolutions by Appeal to Linguistic Equivocation
False Resolutions by Appeal to Oblique Context
False Resolutions by Citing Missing Qualifications
Final Remarks on Double Meaning and Fallacies Due to Accident

Historical Reasons for Treating Fallacies Due to

Accident As Errors of Logical Form

Fallacies Due to Consequent

Introduction
Aristotle's Examples

Sujets

• Philosophie
• Épistémologie
• Philosophie antique
• Epistémologie
• Epistémologie
• Epistémologie
• Ancient philosophy

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 01 février 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791487181
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Aristotle on False Reasoning

SUNY series in Ancient Greek Philosophy

Anthony Preus, editor

Aristotle on False Reasoning

Language and the World in theSophistical Refutations

Scott G. Schreiber

State University of New York Press

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany

© 2003 State University of New York

Printed in the United States of America

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

For information, address State University of New York Press, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany, NY 12207

Production by Michael Haggett Marketing by Fran Keneston

Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data

Schreiber, Scott G. (Scott Gregory), 1952– Aristotle on false reasoning : language and the world in the Sophistical refutations / Scott G. Schreiber p. cm. — (SUNY series in ancient Greek philosophy) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-7914-5659-5 (alk. paper) — ISBN 0-7914-5660-9 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Aristotle. 2. Reasoning. 3. Fallacies (Logic) I. Title. II. Series.

B491.R4 S37 2003 185—dc21

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

2002030968

To Sophia ™tm¥V gºr ÷sti t›V to£ Qeo£ dunºmewV

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Contents

List of Abbreviations Preface Introduction: Reasoning and theSophistical Refutations Aristotle on the Kinds of Reasoning TheSophistical Refutations Outline of the Book

P ART 1: F ALLACIES  D UE TO  L ANGUAGE Chapter 1: The Power of Names Naming Is Not Like Counting “Counters” “Signifiers” Conclusion Chapter 2: Homonymy and Amphiboly Introduction: Aristotle’s Use ofl°xiV The Six Sources of False Reasoning Due to Language Homonymy Homonymy in theCategories Homonymy inS.E. Amphiboly Amphiboly inS.E. Amphiboly Outside theOrganon Problems with Aristotle’s Distinction: The Argument of Conclusion Chapter 3: Form of the Expression Introduction

vii

S.E.17

xi xiii 1 1 3 4

11 11 13 14 18 19 19 20 21 21 22 25 26 28 31 34 37 37

viii

C ONTENTS

Form of the Expression As a Category Mistake Confusion of Substance with Quantity Confusion of Substance with Relative Confusion of Substance with Quality Confusion of Substance with Time Confusion of Activity with “Being-Affected” Confusion of Activity with Quality Form of the Expression Fallacies That Are Not Category Mistakes Confusion of a Particular with a Universal Confusion of One Particular Substance with Another Confusions Based on Gender Terminations Form of the Expression and Solecism: Aristotle and Protagoras Form of the Expression As a Linguistic Fallacy of Double Meaning

Chapter 4: Composition, Division, and Accent Difficulties and Procedure Fallacies Due to Accent Fallacies Due to Composition and Division (C/D) C/D Fallacies Are Not Examples of Double Meaning The Primacy of Oral Speech Further Examples Confusing Linguistic Parts and Wholes C/D Fallacies in theRhetoric Conclusion

P ART 2: R ESOLUTIONS OF  F ALSE  A RGUMENTS Chapter 5: Resolutions of False Arguments Introduction Principles of Aristotelian Analytical Method Two Kinds of Resolution The Principle of Parsimony Proper Refutations and Their Defects:Ignoratio Elenchi Resolutions of Fallacies Due to Language How These Fallacies Violate the Definition of a Refutation The Unity of Composition and Division:S.E. 23 The Extralinguistic Component of Resolutions to Linguistic Fallacies

38 39 40 42 42 43 44 44 44 45 45 48 51

55 55 58 60 60 64 65 68 72 74

79 79 80 82 84 87 88 88 90

92

Contents

P ART 3: F ALLACIES  O UTSIDE OF  L ANGUAGE

Chapter 6: Begging the Question and Non-Cause As Cause Introduction The Fallacy of Begging the Question Begging the Question in thePrior Analytics Begging the Question in Dialectical Reasoning Begging the Question and Immediate Inferences Resolutions The Fallacy of Treating a Non-Cause As Cause Conclusion

Chapter 7: Accident and Consequent Introduction Fallacies Due to Accident and Their Resolutions False Resolutions to Fallacies Due to Accident False Resolutions by Appeal to Linguistic Equivocation False Resolutions by Appeal to Oblique Context False Resolutions by Citing Missing Qualifications Final Remarks on Double Meaning and Fallacies Due to Accident Historical Reasons for Treating Fallacies Due to Accident As Errors of Logical Form Fallacies Due to Consequent Introduction Aristotle’s Examples Conclusion Chapter 8:Secundum Quid Introduction Two Types ofSecundum QuidFallacy Resolutions ofSecundum QuidFallacies Secundum QuidAs a Fallacy outside of Language: Aristotle’s Position Problems with Aristotle’s Position Conclusion Chapter 9: Many Questions Introduction

ix

97 97 98 98 100 104 106 107 112

113 113 114 117 117 121 123

126

128 130 130 132 139 141 141 142 144

145 148 150 153 153