what did aristotle think of reality?

Answer 1

Aristotle's notion of causality offers a helpful introduction to his metaphysics or ontology. A cause (Greek, aitía) may be of four kinds. In the construction of a statue, for example, the material cause (Greek, hyle, matter or material) may be marble or brass. The efficient cause (Greek, archè tês kineseõs, commencement of the motion) is the blows of a chisel. The formal cause (Greek, ousía, being or substance) is the pattern or distinctive idea in the mind of the sculptor, or a given architectural style. The final cause (Greek, telos, end) is the purpose for which the statue is made; the end that it will serve).

This paves the way for understanding both the complexity and plausibility of Aristotle's concept of reality. Substance constitutes a basic, underlying category, to which attributes may be predicated. These modes of existence may be characterized in terms of quantities, qualities, relations, location in space, location in time, and action or being acted upon by another object.

Aristotle inherited from Empedocles the ancient notion that the basic 'elements' which combined to form the material world were earth, water, air and fire, characterized also as hot or cold, wet or dry. This is closer to modern thought than the Greek terms in English translation might suggest. For they represent respectively solid, liquid and gas; and a luminous, incandescent, hot, gas capable of serving as a catalyst or to produce change. Thus the application of fire differentiates the solid, liquid and gaseous state of ice, water and steam.

This state of affairs underlines the point that matter is mutable and exists as 'POSSIBILITY'. Possibility, however, points not to a chain of infinite causal regress, but in due course to an Unmoved Prime Mover (Greek, proton kinoun akineton). This logic is fundamental to most versions of the COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT for the existence of God and especially to the first three of the FIVE WAYS of Aquinas.

Aristotle's concept of an 'ordered' world suggested to him that the ontological 'primary existent' is neither merely 'universal' nor a material particular. This cannot be 'matter' (Greek, hyle) as such, because matter is merely potential. The primary existent is the 'form', but not in Plato's sense of an Idea outside the world. Within Aristotle's emphasis on a unifying system of particulars within the world, his 'form' amounts to the full sum of the characteristics of the species to which the particular thing belongs. An apple tree, for example, is defined not in terms of a specific, solitary tree; but as an organism that together with others of its type or species has its own distinctive 'unity of end' as a full life-process in relation to other life-processes.

Behind this, Aristotle infers a Prime Mover who is Unmoved (Greek, prôton kinoûn akíneton). This Unmoved Mover is 'Mind' (noûs) or 'God'. 'God is perfect ... is One ... Therefore the firmament that God sets in motion is one.' Aristotle's universe therefore has a divine 'orderedness' and coherence that also embodies diversity, as AUGUSTINE, AQUINAS, and AL-FARABI sought to expound and to underline.

Aristotle sets out this ontology in part in the Categories and mainly in the Metaphysics, as a First Philosophy. In effect it is almost a natural theology. 'Reality' is a teleological hierarchy of existents, a graduated scale of forms, looking toward the more rational and more complete. This is the Prime Unmoved Mover, who is Mind. (see principle of plenitude); teleological argument for the existence of God.)

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His concept of god was similar to that outlined in the Hindu
Upanishads by great Rishis of the yore.

Many questions were asked in the ancient Hindu
texts about the nature of Parama Atama (infinite
soul, or Almighty) and Atma (soul). In the olden
days, Gurus used to put these questions to
disciples to test their knowledge.

What is the constituent material of Almighty? All
created materials are subject to decay and
annihilation, Almighty is above the influence of
decay and annihilation. He is eternal.

Then is Almighty a void? In terms of material
characteristics, Almighty is void (Soonya).

Can this lead to the logic that Almighty is not
there? No. Almighty is there. He is consciousness,
the infinite consciousness. The Atma which is a
finite piece of Almighty, according to Advaita
Vedanta - the personal consciousness. Soul was
created in the likeness of the Infinite Soul.

Since Atma is only a minute piece of Almighty, is
it subjected to annihilation? No. Atma is also
eternal.

Answer 2

"reality, u r kewl!!" - Plato, The Republic

Answer 3

He seemed to like it as he spoke about it regularly.

Answer 4

idk 2 points