The Motionless Arrow: Aristotles Thoughts On Zenos Arror Argument :: essays research papers

The Motionless cursor Aristotles Thoughts on Zenos Arror Argument     Aristotles thoughts on Zenos Arrow Argument as represented in Chapter9 of Aristotles Physics A Guided Study can be understood in such a way that itmight non be "next door to madness". In this chapter, Aristotle interpretsZenos argument of the Flying Arrow as "missing the mark". on that point are fourpremises for this argument, and in Aristotles opinion, premise three can berejected. He does non believe that time is composed of indivisible nows, whichhe proves with laws of science. However, by evaluating the falsity of premisethree, you will find that premises one and two are also false. Almost allopinions can be argued, however, and by evaluating the philosophy of both men,many points can be reached about the validity and soundness of the argument.Though, by finding the premises false, the argument is not sound, and therefore,Zenos argument leaves untold to be said. &nbs p   Deciphering from what we know of the argument by what Aristotle tells usin Chapter 9, the premises are sketched out1. Everything is at rest when at a place relate to it2. The Flying arrow is at rest when at a place equal to it3. Time is composed of indivisible nows (instants).4. Everything that changes place is doing so in the now.5. coda The flying arrow doesnt move.According to Zeno, time is composed of many indivisible nows, or instants.Aristotle disagrees, stating in line 210 that no magnitude, including time, iscomposed of indivisible nows. Exactly how pine is an instant? Is time finite?As you start dividing time, the smaller you get, the less movement occurs. Buteven when you do divide it smaller and smaller, is there not at least some smallamount of movement occurring? When will time get so small that movement doesnot occur? This is Aristotles cerebrate that time will never get to a"smallest" point, as length will never have a "smallest" di vision. Therefore,he is rejecting the third premise, stating that time is not composed ofindivisible segments.     Zeno, however, feels that time can be divided into a "smallest" part.After all, in physics, you can determine an objects instantaneous velocity or acceleration at a specific point in its journey, at a specific time. Wouldntthis make time indivisible?Velocity and acceleration are disposed(p) to mean motion, which means theobject is moving at this specific point in time. Therefore, according toAristotle, this paradox would not be so if it were not interpreted that time werecomposed of nows.By rejecting this premise, and reevaluating the argument, you will read