Description:

The Northwestern Ancient Philosophy Workshop will be hosting Dr. Katy Meadows, of Indiana University, Bloomington.  
 
Professor Meadows will speak on Aristotle in a talk entitled, “The Limits of Plato’s Test”.

Abstract 
The dominant interpretive framework for understanding Aristotle's views about priority in being takes priority in being to be a matter of asymmetrical ontological independence and dependence. The main textual support for this interpretive framework comes from Metaphysics Delta 11, where Aristotle appears to define priority in being in terms of asymmetrical ontological independence. This paper argues that, in light of the difficulties ontological independence views have in accounting for Aristotle's claims about priority, we have reason to reconsider the standard reading of Delta 11. I offer a new reading of this passage according to which Aristotle's aim is to undermine the status of the ontological independence test offered by Plato as a definition of priority rather than to endorse it as a definition.

Date: Friday, October 30, 2020.    
Time:  10:20a - 12:20p  Central Time

To request the workshop Zoom link, please write to Susan Bencomo (susanbencomo2011@u.northwestern.edu)  or   Patricia Marechal (patricia.marechal@northwestern.edu).