History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps HoP 041 - Richard Sorabji on Time and Eternity in Aristotle
35 snips
Jul 10, 2011 AI Snips
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Aristotle's Definition of Time
- Aristotle defines time as the countable instantaneous stages of motion, considering what's before and after in the motion.
- This definition might be circular, as "before" and "after" implicitly refer to time.
Time's Dependence on Consciousness
- Aristotle believes time requires a conscious being to measure it, linking countability to the presence of counters.
- This confuses ability with opportunity; things remain countable even without observers.
Mosquito Lethality Analogy
- Mosquito lethality depends on the victim's susceptibility, illustrating Aristotle's point about ability vs. opportunity.
- Immunity removes the opportunity for lethality but not the mosquito's inherent capability to kill.