亚里士多德《物理学》中的科学方法

The Scientific Method in Aristotle's Physics

亚里士多德强调了探究的方法不是寻求推断结论而是发现原因,即发现论证三段论的中项。在亚里士多德看来,认识就是要掌握原因,也就是三段论中的中项。在《物理学》中,亚里士多德展示了如何使用三段论的中项找到必然为真的原因,这一原因也正是科学三段论的必要条件。因此,《物理学》中所揭示的科学方法,即寻找原因,也是阅读亚里士多德哲学著作的基本方法。

Aristotle emphasized that the method of inquiry is not to seek inferences but to find causes, namely, to find the middle term of the syllogism. From the Aristotle＇ s view, acquaintance is to master reasons, that is, the middle term of the syllogism. In Physics, Aristotle presented how to apply the middle term of the syllogism to find the reason that must be true, which is the necessary condition for scientific syllogism. Therefore, the scientific method revealed in Physics, that is, to find the cause, is also the basic way to read Aristotle＇ s philosophical works.