Aristotle, Non-contradiction, and Timeless Time

This chapter explores Pyrrho’s supposed opponent, Aristotle, and his take on reality and time. Aristotle is famous for rejecting any understanding of reality that is not based on human logic. For Aristotle, reality needs to be channelled through human logic so as to cohere and be of use to human affairs. To establish this, he puts forward the Principle of Non-contradiction, which is, as is well known, the second classical principle, along with the first (Identity) and the third (Excluded Middle). Because the Principle of Identity partitions its logical universe into exactly two parts (“is” and “is not”), the Principle of Non-contradiction creates a dichotomy wherein the two parts become mutually exclusive, jointly exhaustive, and differential. In doing so, Aristotle partitions not only reality but time as well. From this crucial moment in western history, time and reality become unique, autonomous, and accountable entities ready to be mastered by any mind that lets itself be governed not only by classification and order but, more broadly, by an unfettered human logic.