1. The Title and Naming of Aristotle's Metaphysics

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Lecture Notes

Main Topics #

The Title and Origins of Aristotle’s ‘Metaphysics’ #

• Aristotle’s work is titled 14 Books of Wisdom (Σοφία [sophia] in Greek; Sapientia in Latin)
• Thomas Aquinas defines Sapientia as Sapida Scientia—savory or tasty knowledge
• The modern title “Metaphysics” comes from Andronicus of Rhodes’s editorial arrangement:
  • Andronicus placed these books after (μετά [meta]) the books on natural philosophy (τὰ φυσικά [ta physika])
  • This editorial decision created a title that is merely positional and obscures the work’s true subject matter
  • The word “Metaphysics” is essentially a compound of three Greek words run together without inherent meaning
• Berquist prefers “14 Books of Wisdom” or “14 Books of First Philosophy” because they describe what the work is or what it is about, rather than where it appears in an editorial arrangement
• This is compared to how America was named after Amerigo Vespucci (who made a map, not a discovery)—a historical accident that persists through custom

The Power and Problem of Custom #

• Custom functions as a “tyrant” (Shakespeare) that tyrannizes human behavior and thought even when unreasonable
• Berquist provides examples:
  • “Grace” before meals is incorrectly named; it should be called “the blessing,” while the true grace is thanksgiving after the meal
  • The birthday song persists despite being poor music, simply because custom demands it
  • Latin titles are used for some Aristotelian works while Greek titles are used for others with no clear reason
• Berquist suggests modern humans are more enslaved to custom than people in Greek or medieval times
• Custom influences both how men think and what men think (Thomas Aquinas, Summa Contra Gentiles, Book I)

Three Meanings of “First Philosophy” #

1. First in Dignity/Worth

   • Wisdom is the most excellent kind of knowledge
   • As Aristotle states: “Every other knowledge is more necessary, but none is better”
   • First philosophy is the best knowledge, not merely the first in a temporal sequence

2. First in the Order of Knowledge (What a Lover of Wisdom Would Pursue)

   • If “philosophy” means the knowledge a lover of wisdom would pursue, then the first philosophy is whatever knowledge is most characteristic of wisdom
   • Analogy: What knowledge would a lover of geometry pursue? Geometry. What would a lover of Mozart listen to? Mozart.
   • By this reasoning, the knowledge most of all having the character of wisdom is first philosophy
   • Other types of knowledge (ethics, political philosophy, natural philosophy) are wisdom in a qualified sense about particular domains, but not wisdom simply

3. First in Subject Matter (First Causes and Principles)

   • Just as natural philosophy concerns natural things and political philosophy concerns political things, so first philosophy concerns first things
   • First things are primarily causes (αἴτια [aitia])
   • First philosophy also defends the axioms—the first statements upon which all other knowledge depends
   • This meaning addresses what the knowledge is about rather than its excellence or its place in our pursuit of knowledge

Editorial Division vs. Logical/Understandable Division #

Editorial Division

• Divides texts into books, chapters, verses for reference and publication purposes
• Examples: Matthew’s Gospel divided into 28 chapters (from the University of Paris, 12th century); Homer’s works divided into 24 books each (Iliad and Odyssey)
• Useful for locating passages but does not illuminate understanding
• Necessary for publication: “The book won’t get published without that division”

Logical/Understandable Division

• Follows the rule of two or three—a logical principle taught in formal logic
• Reveals the internal structure and meaning of a work
• Helps the reader understand the work by making visible its rational organization
• Example: Thomas Aquinas’s division of Matthew’s Gospel
  • First logical part: Christ’s coming into the world (chapters 1-2)
  • Second logical part: Christ proceeding through the world (chapters 3-20), further subdivided into:
    • Preparation for preaching (chapters 3-4): baptism and temptation
    • Teaching itself (chapters 5-20)
  • Third logical part: Christ going out of the world (chapters 21-28): passion, death, resurrection
• This division reveals meaning: Christ as man following the pattern of a teacher/preacher (like a Dominican friar), requiring grace and testing before public ministry

The Premium and Tractatus #

• Premium (preamble/introduction): Sets forth what the work aims at (the σκοπός [skopos], target or goal)
• Tractatus (main body): The “drawing out” (Latin tractabos) and development of what was introduced in the premium
• In Thomas Aquinas’s commentaries, texts are typically divided into:
  1. The premium
  2. The tractatus (the rest of the work)

The Premium to the 14 Books of Wisdom #

• Occupies the first two editorial readings at the beginning of Book I
• In logical division, it is divided into two parts:
  1. What wisdom aims at: Knowledge of causes (first causes)
  2. What kind of knowledge wisdom is: The nature of this knowledge (to be unfolded further)
• Aristotle includes an epilogue where he recalls what he has done in the premium
• Functions like a prologue in drama (e.g., Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet): prepares the audience for what follows, sets the tone, establishes expectations
• The premium to the entire 14 Books of Wisdom is the main premium to first philosophy, just as the premium to Nicomachean Ethics is the main premium to practical philosophy
• Establishes the σκοπός (skopos/target) of the entire work—the most important element of a premium

Key Arguments #

Why “Metaphysics” Is a Poor Title #

• Etymology: The word is a mechanical compounding of three Greek words (meta + ta + physika) that means “after the natural philosophy books”
• Lack of transparency: The title tells us nothing about what the work concerns; it is purely positional
• Historical accident: Andronicus of Rhodes created this arrangement for editorial purposes, not based on the work’s content or Aristotle’s intention
• Modern confusion: Physicists and scientists use “metaphysics” to mean anything outside experimental science, conflating it with the occult and the speculative
• Better alternatives: “14 Books of Wisdom” or “14 Books of First Philosophy” describe what the work actually is

Why Custom Persists Despite Its Irrationality #

• Custom operates as a powerful force on human behavior even when it contradicts reason or quality
• Examples show that people obey custom even when they recognize its unreasonableness (Berquist’s own reluctance to sing the inferior birthday song, people wearing clothes based on custom rather than function)
• In modern times, custom may exercise even greater tyranny than in earlier periods

Important Definitions #

• Σοφία (sophia/Wisdom): Savory or tasty knowledge (Sapida Scientia); the highest perfection of reason; the knowledge of first causes and principles
• First Philosophy (Prima Philosophia): Philosophy first in dignity and excellence; the knowledge of first causes and foundational axioms; the most characteristic kind of wisdom
• Premium: The preamble or introduction to a work that establishes its target (σκοπός) and prepares the reader for the main treatise; analogous to a dramatic prologue
• Tractatus: The main body of a work; the development and drawing out of what was introduced in the premium
• σκοπός (skopos/Target): The goal or aim of a work; what the author is directing the reader toward; the most essential element of a premium
• Editorial Division: Organization of a text into books, chapters, verses for reference and publication purposes
• Logical Division: Organization of a text according to its internal rational structure, typically following a rule of two or three subdivisions

Examples & Illustrations #

Custom and Naming #

• “Grace” before meals: Traditionally called grace, but should be called “the blessing.” The actual grace is the thanksgiving prayer after the meal. No one can break from this custom, despite its etymological incorrectness.
• The birthday song: A poor piece of music that persists through custom, despite the superior quality of pieces like “Sirius” (a great piece for Christmas). Berquist insists on Mozart instead when his birthday arrives, yet feels compelled to sing the custom song anyway.
• America’s naming: Named after Amerigo Vespucci because he put his name on a map, not because he discovered America. “A fluke of history,” yet everyone is stuck with it.
• Groucho Marx’s question: “Who’s buried in Grant’s tomb?” The obvious answer (Grant) shows how custom and habit can obscure even simple truths; used as a game show consolation prize question.

Logical Division in Practice #

• Thomas Aquinas’s division of Matthew’s Gospel: Shows how logical division reveals the meaning of Christ’s humanity—coming into, proceeding through, and going out of the world—with further subdivisions revealing the necessity of baptism and temptation before preaching can begin.

Questions Addressed #

Why is “Metaphysics” a poor title for Aristotle’s 14 Books of Wisdom? #

• It is merely positional (placed after the physics books) rather than descriptive of content
• It is formed by mechanical compounding without meaningful signification
• It obscures the work’s actual subject matter: wisdom and first causes
• Modern usage has corrupted the term further, making it synonymous with speculation outside empirical science

What are the three meanings of “First Philosophy”? #

1. First in dignity and excellence (the best knowledge)
2. First in the order of knowledge that a lover of wisdom naturally pursues
3. First in subject matter (concerning first causes and principles)

How does logical division differ from editorial division? #

• Editorial division organizes text for reference and publication; logical division reveals internal rational structure
• Editorial division may tell us little or nothing about the work’s meaning; logical division illuminates understanding
• Logical division typically follows a rule of two or three subdivisions to expose the work’s organization

What is the function of a premium? #

• To establish the σκοπός (target/goal) of the work—what the author aims at
• To prepare the reader for what follows, much like a dramatic prologue prepares an audience
• To set the tone and establish expectations for the entire treatise