아리스토텔레스의 『형이상학』에 나타난 실체적 지식의 교육학적 함의

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the meaning and feasibility of 'substantial knowledge' in Aristotle's Metaphysics, and reveal its educational implications. In Metaphysics, Aristotle presents a critical and difficult problem in which object of knowledge is primarily universal, whereas substance of the object is individual. And then, he suggests a theoretical elucidation, which core is knowledge of primary substance in each thing, 'substantial knowledge' in terms of this study. As a plausible answer against the problem, recent approaches' conclusion is that knowledge of primary substance is universal in potency, but individual in actuality. In this view, however, substantial knowledge degrades to specification of universals in relation to species or factual generalization of particular cases, and hence a kind of 'modal knowledge' in terms of this study. On the contrary, in Aristotle's view, it means theōria, that is, self-knowing and self-realization of potential universals(Passive Intellect) according to actual power of primary substance(Productive Intellect) in each thing, in which real subject is not a mere thinking self distinct from objects of thinking, but soul as a whole, as the highest form of primary substance indwelling in each thing, that unifies the two sides of thinking, and hence means self's relation to self in each thing. Therefore, soul in substantial knowing comes into existence individually at the same time as universally. Its substantial individuality means a proper unity logically distinct from modal or sensational particularity, and its substantial universality does an original and self-relative identity between subjective side and objective side, actually distinct from modal universality. In relation to modal knowledge, soul's substantial knowing is still thinking of each thing as a subject by way of modal predicates, only in so far as thinking of each thing in view of primary substance implicit in each thing as its own starting and pivotal point. In my view, this substantial knowledge is the core of school subjects(curriculum). And school education means self-activity of human race's soul as a whole in which encourages incessantly conversational interaction between a teacher's and a student's mind by way of school subjects, and finally realizes both individual and universal meanings and virtues in each mind.