The Metaphysical Foundation of Buddhism and Modern Science

Between them, Plato and Aristotle succeed in illustrating the chief
connections between science and philosophy. The emphasis of science is
upon observation of particular occurences, and upon inductive
generalization, issuing in wide classifications of things according to their
modes of functioning, in other words according to the laws of nature
which they illustrate. The emphasis of philosophy is upon generalizations
which almost fail to classify by reason of their universal application. For
example, all things are involved in the creative advance of the Universe,
that is, in the general temporality which affects all things, even if at all
times they remain self-identical. Thus the consideration of weight led
Aristotle to his four-fold classification.
Now Plato had already emphasized the importance of this Aristotelian
notion of classification, that is to say, of 'division' as he called it.
Perhaps indeed he invented the method. It would have been quite in
accordance with his clear-cut intellectual subtlety to have done so. We
find in his dialogues the first explicit formulations of the science of
Logic. But his applications of the method are feeble in the extreme, from
the point of view of the advancement of natural science. Whereas
Aristotle in his life's work seized upon the general notion of
classification, he gave a masterly analysis of the complexities inherent in
the mutual relation of classes. He also applied his theoretical doctrine to
the immense material to be collected by direct observation in the field
of zoology, physics, sociology. Indeed we must trace to him nearly all our
special sciences, both the natural sciences, and those concerning the