Regarding the mathematical character — or not — of the Eudemian Ethics method

Authors

  • Fernando Gazoni Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Brasil)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14195/1984-249X_20_6

Keywords:

Aristotle, Aristotelian ethics, Method, Eudemian Ethics, Nicomachean Ethics

Abstract

Joseph Karbowski (Karbowski, 2015) recently proposed to reevaluate Allan's claim  of considering the method of the Eudemian Ethics as ‘quasi mathematical’ (Allan, 1961). In this paper I argue that the dispute about the method in the Eudemian treatise would be more perspicuously done if, instead of searching for or denying mathematical features in the Eudemian Ethics, we strive to analyze the linguistic features of verbs using for introducing the premisses in the Eudemian treatise as well as in other texts as the Euclidean Elements. Besides, be it mathematical or not, the interpretations proposed by Allan and Karbowski are not capable of providing a full explanation of some important differences between books I and II of the Eudemian Ethics, differences for which I propose some tentative answers.

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References

ALLAN, D. J. (1961). Quasi-mathematical method in the Eudemian Ethics. In: MANSION, S. (ed.). Aristote et les Problèmes de Méthode. Louvain, Publications Uni-versitaires, p.303-318.BICUDO, I. (2009). Euclides. Os elementos (in-trodução e tradução). São Paulo, Unesp.

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IGLÉSIAS, M. (2001). Platão. Mênon. (tradução e notas). São Paulo, Loyola.

KARBOWSKI, J. (2015). Is Aristotle’s Eudemian Ethics Quasi-Mathematical?. Apeiron 48, no 3, p. 368-386.

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KASSEL, R. (1965) (ed.). Aristotelis. De arte poeti-ca. Oxford, Oxford University Press.

ROSS, W. D. (2008) (ed.). Aristotelis. Analytica Priora et Posteriora. Oxford, Oxford Universtity Press.

___. (2001) (ed.). Aristotelis. Parva Naturalia. Oxford, Oxford University Press.

___. (2009) (ed.). Aristotelis. Physica. Oxford, Oxford University Press.

___. (2004) (ed.). Aristotelis. Topica et Sophistici Elenchi. Oxford, Oxford University Press.

WALZER, R.R.; MINGAY, J.M. (1991) (eds.). Aristo-telis. Ethica Eudemia. Oxford, Oxford University Press.

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Published

2017-05-02

How to Cite

Gazoni, F. (2017). Regarding the mathematical character — or not — of the Eudemian Ethics method . Revista Archai, (20), 141. https://doi.org/10.14195/1984-249X_20_6

Issue

No. 20 (2017): No. 20 (2017): Revista Archai nº20 (May, 2017)

Section

Dossier

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Copyright (c) 2025 Fernando Gazoni

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