Aristotelian & Thomist thought (Introduction)

by David Turell , Friday, July 05, 2013, 15:40 (4160 days ago) @ dhw


> dhw: "Intelligible" = can be understood. Intelligible to whom? Who decides what is the "proper" object of an intellect? What sort of "thing" is he talking about? Is a disembodied sound more "intelligible" than a potato? Is the intellect more easily understood than the workings of the hip joint? Is anything immaterial essentially intelligible? Is anything immaterial essentially existent? Can any essentially immaterial existence be essentially intelligible since without material manifestation its existence cannot even be perceived let alone understood? As Feser is your favourite philosopher, David, I can only assume that you find all of this intelligible.-I do. Remember, Feser got to this point from atheism, so there is a thoughtful road.-"As a man who has devoted his whole life to the most clear headed science, to the study of matter, I can tell you as a result of my research about atoms this much: There is no matter as such. All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particle of an atom to vibration and holds this most minute solar system of the atom together. We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent mind. This mind is the matrix of all matter."
 Max Planck ... The Father Of Quantum Mechanics -"The path taken by the photon is not an element of reality. We are not allowed to talk about the photon passing through this or this slit. Neither are we allowed to say the photon passes through both slits. All this kind of language is not applicable."
 Anton Zeilinger-All I have to do is understand the basis of our reality is the quicksand of the quantum and I see God staring at me. It starts with accepting a first cause that is energy, thoughtful, organized energy.