Aristotle on the Starting-Point of Motion in the Soul

Phronesis ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 358-379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myrna Gabbe
Keyword(s):  
Prime Mover ◽  
Final Cause ◽  
Traditional Notion ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Rational Desire ◽  
Eudemian Ethics

Abstract In Eudemian Ethics 8.2, Aristotle posits god as the starting-point of non-rational desire (particularly for the naturally fortunate), thought, and deliberation. The questions that dominate the literature are: To what does ‘god’ refer? Is it some divine-like entity in the soul that produces thoughts and desires or is it Aristotle’s prime mover? And how does god operate as the starting-point of these activities? By providing a careful reconstruction of the context in which god is evoked, I argue against the popular deflationary reading of ‘god’, showing why Aristotle’s prime mover must be the end of these natural activities, and how it serves as a final cause for the rational and desirative parts of the soul. I contend that EE 8.2 provides evidence against the traditional notion that god operates as a final cause by drawing natural potentialities to their completion, and suggests instead that it serves as a final cause by entering into the explanation of natures and natural activities as their ultimate end.

ἈΡΧΗ ΠΡΑΞΕΩΝ ΙΝ ARISTOTLE'S EUDEMIAN ETHICS II 6, 1223a9–16

2018 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 330-332
Author(s):  
Daniel Wolt
Keyword(s):  
Voluntary Action ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Eudemian Ethics

Eudemian Ethics II 6 is meant to introduce Aristotle's discussion of voluntary action in II 7–9. The majority of II 6, however, consists of a somewhat obscure discussion of the ways in which humans, alone among animals, are origins of action (ἀρχαὶ πράξεων). It is not at all clear how that topic is meant to relate to the topic of voluntary action until the following passage, towards the end of the chapter, in which Aristotle relates being the cause (αἴτιος) and origin of action to praiseworthiness and blameworthiness and to the voluntary (1223a9–16): ἐπεὶ δ’ ἥ τε ἀρετὴ καὶ ἡ κακία καὶ τὰ ἀπ’αὐτῶν ἔργα τὰ μὲν ἐπαινετὰ τὰ δὲ ψεκτά (ψέγεται γὰρ    (10)καὶ ἐπαινεῖται οὐ διὰ τὰ ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἢ τύχης ἢ φύσεωςὑπάρχοντα, ἀλλ’ ὅσων αὐτοὶ αἴτιοι ἐσμέν· ὅσων γὰρ ἄλλοςαἴτιος, ἐκεῖνος καὶ τὸν ψόγον καὶ τὸν ἔπαινον ἔχει), δῆλονὅτι καὶ ἡ ἀρετὴ καὶ ἡ κακία περὶ ταῦτ’ ἐστιν ὧν αὐτὸςαἴτιος καὶ ἀρχὴ πράξεων. ληπτέον ἄρα ποίων αὐτὸς αἴτιος   (15)καὶ ἀρχὴ πράξεων.Now, since virtue and vice and the works that come from them are praiseworthy and blameworthy respectively (for one is not blamed or praised for what obtains on account of necessity or chance or nature but for the things we are ourselves causes of; for where someone else is the cause, he bears both the blame and the praise), it is clear that virtue and vice are concerned with what one is oneself a cause of and starting point of action.

Defining the Sciences

2018 ◽  
pp. 10-25
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Feke
Keyword(s):  
Prime Mover ◽  
Philosophical System ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Aristotle's Metaphysics

Taking Almagest 1.1 as the starting point of this study, as it functions as an epitome of Ptolemy's general philosophical system, this chapter argues that the metaphysics Ptolemy presents when differentiating the three theoretical sciences—physics, mathematics, and theology—is Aristotelian, though not Aristotle's. They do not derive directly from Aristotle's Metaphysics but from his greater corpus. Ptolemy appropriates aspects of Aristotle's metaphysics and epistemology to construct his own. Ptolemy adapts criteria from Aristotle's broader corpus to distinguish the objects of the sciences and, by extension, the sciences themselves. Whether and how an object is perceptible determines whether it is studied by physics, mathematics, or theology. An imperceptible object, the Prime Mover, is studied by theology, special sensibles are studied by physics, and common sensibles are studied by mathematics.

Self-Referential Complex Systems and Aristotle's Four Causes

2015 ◽  
pp. 239-260
Author(s):  
Aleksandar Malecic
Keyword(s):  
Modern Science ◽  
Scientific Discipline ◽  
The Other ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Newtonian Physics ◽  
Final Cause ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Modern Physics ◽  
Four Causes ◽  
Self Reference

In this chapter the author addresses a need for inclusion of all four Aristotle's causes (material, efficient, formal, and final) in modern science. Reality of modern physics (beyond Newtonian physics) and science of consciousness (and life and society) should include all four causes and tangled hierarchies (no scientific discipline is the most fundamental – the starting point for the author was Jung, then Rosen, and Aristotle was included much later). The four causes resemble rules for a machine or software (computation that “glues” everything together (Dodig-Crnkovic, 2012)), but a non-deterministic “machine” not replicable in a different medium. “Self-reference” from the title includes self-awareness, something seemingly not possible without final cause. On the other hand, this recognition of our (presumed) non-determinism and freedom might remind us to be even more self-aware and anticipatory. Computation, communication, networking, and memory as something technology is good at could contribute to that goal.

Friendship and Other Selves in Aristotle’s Ethics

2020 ◽  
pp. 39-85
Author(s):  
Sara Brill
Keyword(s):  
The Political ◽  
Virtuous Person ◽  
Final Cause ◽  
Detailed Exposition ◽  
Political Conditions ◽  
Eudemian Ethics ◽  
Aristotle's Ethics

This chapter is a detailed exposition of the role of the concept of shared life in Aristotle’s thinking about the nature of friendship in both his Nicomachean and Eudemian Ethics. At its most vivid, the concept of shared life illuminates the nature of the highest forms of human friendship by designating the intimacy that arises from the sharing of one’s most cherished actions. Moreover, in his handling of two interlinked questions—whether the virtuous person needs friends and whether it is possible to be a friend to oneself—the concept of shared life emerges as essential to Aristotle’s investigation of the political conditions necessary for the performance of noble deeds, deeds which provide the polis with its final cause.

Crystal structure images of large gold clusters and growing crystals by HRTEM

1984 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. 428-429
Author(s):  
L.R. Wallenberg ◽  
J.-O. Bovin ◽  
G. Schmid
Keyword(s):  
Crystal Structure ◽  
Nucleation And Growth ◽  
Close Packing ◽  
Gold Clusters ◽  
Molecular Weight Determination ◽  
Growth Mechanisms ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Nucleation And Growth Mechanisms ◽  
Points Of View

Metallic clusters are interesting from various points of view, e.g. as a mean of spreading expensive catalysts on a support, or following heterogeneous and homogeneous catalytic events. It is also possible to study nucleation and growth mechanisms for crystals with the cluster as known starting point.Gold-clusters containing 55 atoms were manufactured by reducing (C6H5)3PAuCl with B2H6 in benzene. The chemical composition was found to be Au9.2[P(C6H5)3]2Cl. Molecular-weight determination by means of an ultracentrifuge gave the formula Au55[P(C6H5)3]Cl6 A model was proposed from Mössbauer spectra by Schmid et al. with cubic close-packing of the 55 gold atoms in a cubeoctahedron as shown in Fig 1. The cluster is almost completely isolated from the surroundings by the twelve triphenylphosphane groups situated in each corner, and the chlorine atoms on the centre of the 3x3 square surfaces. This gives four groups of gold atoms, depending on the different types of surrounding.

Two isoprenylated flavonoids from Dorstenia psilurus activate AMPK, stimulate glucose uptake, inhibit glucose production and lower glycemia

2019 ◽  
Vol 476 (24) ◽  
pp. 3687-3704 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aphrodite T. Choumessi ◽  
Manuel Johanns ◽  
Claire Beaufay ◽  
Marie-France Herent ◽  
Vincent Stroobant ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Glucose Uptake ◽  
Human Cancer ◽  
Glucose Production ◽  
Liver Mitochondria ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
Structural Isomer ◽  
Rat Liver Mitochondria ◽  
Ionization Mass ◽  
Ampk Activation ◽  
Starting Point

Root extracts of a Cameroon medicinal plant, Dorstenia psilurus, were purified by screening for AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation in incubated mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs). Two isoprenylated flavones that activated AMPK were isolated. Compound 1 was identified as artelasticin by high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and 2D-NMR while its structural isomer, compound 2, was isolated for the first time and differed only by the position of one double bond on one isoprenyl substituent. Treatment of MEFs with purified compound 1 or compound 2 led to rapid and robust AMPK activation at low micromolar concentrations and increased the intracellular AMP:ATP ratio. In oxygen consumption experiments on isolated rat liver mitochondria, compound 1 and compound 2 inhibited complex II of the electron transport chain and in freeze–thawed mitochondria succinate dehydrogenase was inhibited. In incubated rat skeletal muscles, both compounds activated AMPK and stimulated glucose uptake. Moreover, these effects were lost in muscles pre-incubated with AMPK inhibitor SBI-0206965, suggesting AMPK dependency. Incubation of mouse hepatocytes with compound 1 or compound 2 led to AMPK activation, but glucose production was decreased in hepatocytes from both wild-type and AMPKβ1−/− mice, suggesting that this effect was not AMPK-dependent. However, when administered intraperitoneally to high-fat diet-induced insulin-resistant mice, compound 1 and compound 2 had blood glucose-lowering effects. In addition, compound 1 and compound 2 reduced the viability of several human cancer cells in culture. The flavonoids we have identified could be a starting point for the development of new drugs to treat type 2 diabetes.

Overview of Current Approaches to Aural Rehabilitation for Adults With Cochlear Implants

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 1175-1187
Author(s):  
Rachel Glade ◽  
Erin Taylor ◽  
Deborah S. Culbertson ◽  
Christin Ray
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Cochlear Implants ◽  
Practice Patterns ◽  
The United States ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Aural Rehabilitation ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Clinical Models ◽  
Hearing Health

Purpose This clinical focus article provides an overview of clinical models currently being used for the provision of comprehensive aural rehabilitation (AR) for adults with cochlear implants (CIs) in the Unites States. Method Clinical AR models utilized by hearing health care providers from nine clinics across the United States were discussed with regard to interprofessional AR practice patterns in the adult CI population. The clinical models were presented in the context of existing knowledge and gaps in the literature. Future directions were proposed for optimizing the provision of AR for the adult CI patient population. Findings/Conclusions There is a general agreement that AR is an integral part of hearing health care for adults with CIs. While the provision of AR is feasible in different clinical practice settings, service delivery models are variable across hearing health care professionals and settings. AR may include interprofessional collaboration among surgeons, audiologists, and speech-language pathologists with varying roles based on the characteristics of a particular setting. Despite various existing barriers, the clinical practice patterns identified here provide a starting point toward a more standard approach to comprehensive AR for adults with CIs.

Indirect Assessment of Attitudes with Response-Time-Based Measures

2006 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 131-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliane Degner ◽  
Dirk Wentura ◽  
Klaus Rothermund
Keyword(s):  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Incremental Validity ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Implicit Measures ◽  
Scale Theory ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Self Reports ◽  
Predicting Behavior ◽  
Social Cognitive Theories

Abstract: We review research on response-latency based (“implicit”) measures of attitudes by examining what hopes and intentions researchers have associated with their usage. We identified the hopes of (1) gaining better measures of interindividual differences in attitudes as compared to self-report measures (quality hope); (2) better predicting behavior, or predicting other behaviors, as compared to self-reports (incremental validity hope); (3) linking social-cognitive theories more adequately to empirical research (theory-link hope). We argue that the third hope should be the starting point for using these measures. Any attempt to improve these measures should include the search for a small-scale theory that adequately explains the basic effects found with such a measure. To date, small-scale theories for different measures are not equally well developed.

The Solidarity of Distance1

2005 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 103-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert A. Wicklund
Keyword(s):  
Physical Contact ◽  
Emotional Distance ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Shared Emotions ◽  
Common Goals ◽  
Full Interaction ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Social Incompetence

Abstract: Solidarity in the classic sense pertains to a cohesion among humans that entails physical contact, shared emotions, and common goals or projects. Characteristic cases are to be found among families, close friends, or co-workers. The present paper, in contrast, treats a phenomenon of the solidarity of distance, a solidarity based in fear of certain others and in incompetence to interact with them. The starting point for this analysis is the person who is motivated to interact with others who are unfamiliar or fear-provoking. Given that the fear and momentary social incompetence do not allow a full interaction to ensue, the individual will move toward solidarity with those others on a symbolic level. In this manner the motivation to approach the others is acted upon while physical and emotional distance is retained.

A Starting Point for Inquiry Into Inquiry

PsycCRITIQUES ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph L. Polman
Keyword(s):  
Starting Point
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