The analytic-synthetic method

pp. 75-94

in: Carlo Cellucci, Rethinking logic, Berlin, Springer, 2013

Abstract

As it has been mentioned in Chapter 4, Aristotle does not completely dismiss the analytic method but replaces it with the analytic-synthetic method. The reason Aristotle gives for this replacement is that the analytic method "does not allow one to know anything in an absolute way, but only on the basis of a hypothesis." The latter is not necessarily true, while 'scientific knowledge must proceed from premises that are true." Therefore, scientific knowledge cannot be based on the analytic method.