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I am reading Aristotle. He seems to me to believe that knowledge is knowledge of explanations (causes - aitiai). But what ground is there for this belief? I cannot formulate a reason for this. I would highly appreciate it if you could please help me with this.

Thanks in advance!

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    See Aristotle: Demonstration: "The subject of the Posterior Analytics is epistêmê. This is one of several Greek words that can reasonably be translated “knowledge”. There is a long tradition of translating epistêmê in this technical sense as science. We have scientific knowledge, according to Aristotle, when we know: 'the cause why the thing is, that it is the cause of this, and that this cannot be otherwise'. (Posterior Analytics I.2)"
    – Mauro ALLEGRANZA
    Jun 20 at 13:57
  • Thus, in a nutshell, "proper" knowledge (scientific knowledge, episteme) is knowledge of causes: the reason why something is that way and not other. We have other kind of knowledge: knowledge of empirical, historical facts, practical knowledge, etc.
    – Mauro ALLEGRANZA
    Jun 20 at 13:58
  • I see. Thank you. So I gather then that because scientific knowledge is knowledge of changeless things, scientific knowledge is knowledge of explanations?
    – Frank Booth
    Jun 20 at 14:10
  • but the links you have provided does not answer my questions
    – Frank Booth
    Jun 20 at 14:12
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    More or less... following Socrates (knowledge is mastering the proper definition) and Plato (knowledge is knowing the essence) for A "proper" knowledge is knowing the causes that can provide us the correct explanation and understanding.
    – Mauro ALLEGRANZA
    Jun 20 at 14:13

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