Aristotle’s Theory of Elenchos-Proof Knowledge

Abstract This paper offers an interpretation of Aristotle’s claim that epistēmē haplōs requires the knower to be ‘incapable of being persuaded otherwise’ ( ametapeistos ). The claim is interpreted as a requirement that a scientist with fully settled knowledge not undergo rational belief revision, itself a version of the Socratic idea that true knowledge is not subject to refutation or elenchos . Aristotle reduces this requirement to a pair of conditions regarding the knowledge and conviction ( pistis ) the scientist has in her principles. It is shown that these conditions serve to rule out precisely the types of refutation Aristotle takes to be incompatible with scientific knowledge.