Aristotélēs
πάντες ἄνθρωποι τοῦ εἰδέναι ὀρέγονται φύσει
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Premise 1 : The mind is material - assumed for reductio
Premise 2 : The mind can think of universals, that which is common to all individuals & predicated of them. Eg, Man is animal. "Man" refers to all men & "animal" is the universal.
Premise 3 : Matter qua individuals can only exemplify or take on particulars. Eg, a certain thing/individual must take on a specific color at the same time & place
Premise 4 : If the mind were material, then in order to think of the universal in all particulars (since they exist nowhere else), it would have to become identical to all particulars across space & time in individuals.
Premise 5 : Our finite mind as matter (individual) becomes identical to all particulars in different matters (individuals) across space & time - by Premises 1,2,3,4
Premise 6 : A finite matter qua individual has a unique location in time or space & hence cannot become identical to other matters qua individuals in different space & time.
Contradiction - 5 & 6
Reject 1
Given that the mind is either material or immaterial (by the law of excluded middle), it implies from the proof above that the mind is immaterial
Premise 2 : The mind can think of universals, that which is common to all individuals & predicated of them. Eg, Man is animal. "Man" refers to all men & "animal" is the universal.
Premise 3 : Matter qua individuals can only exemplify or take on particulars. Eg, a certain thing/individual must take on a specific color at the same time & place
Premise 4 : If the mind were material, then in order to think of the universal in all particulars (since they exist nowhere else), it would have to become identical to all particulars across space & time in individuals.
Premise 5 : Our finite mind as matter (individual) becomes identical to all particulars in different matters (individuals) across space & time - by Premises 1,2,3,4
Premise 6 : A finite matter qua individual has a unique location in time or space & hence cannot become identical to other matters qua individuals in different space & time.
Contradiction - 5 & 6
Reject 1
Given that the mind is either material or immaterial (by the law of excluded middle), it implies from the proof above that the mind is immaterial
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