La crítica como búsqueda cooperativa de la verdad: el argumento del tercerhombre en el Sobre las ideas de Aristóteles

ACTAS DEL VI COLOQUIO INTERNACIONAL ΑΓWΝ COMPETENCIA Y COOPERACION DE LA ANTIGUA GRECIA A LA ACTUALIDAD Homenaje a Ana Maŕia Gonzalez de Tobia La Plata, FAHCE-UNLP, 19 al 22 de junio de 2012 sitio web: http://coloquiointernacionalceh.fahce.unlp.edu.ar ISSN:2250-7388 342 The most accurate version of the “third man” argument was provided by Aristotle in a lost work, On Ideas. In this paper, I will offer an analysis of the argument, establishing the premises that turn it into a valid criticism. Then, I will consider Plato’s possible response to the objection in order to show that Aristotle discovers a genuine difficulty in platonic doctrine: the separation between Ideas and particulars involves the problem of homonymy. We believe that a careful reflexion about the argument led Aristotle to establish the important distinction between essential and accidental predication as well as to hold that a relation of sinonymy exists between subject and essence. In this regard, the consideration of this argument illustrates why for Aristotle the critique is a valid and habitual procedure in the cooperative search for truth. PALABRAS CLAVE: Aristoteles–Argumento del tercer hombre–Peri Ideon–Homonimia.