Prior Analytics
Introduction


[thumb\|300px\|Aristotle *Prior Analytics* in Latin, 1290 circa, [Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana](/wiki/Biblioteca_Medicea_Laurenziana "Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana"), Florence](/wiki/File:Firenze%2C_porfirio%2C_isagoge%2C_e_miscellanea_di_aristotele%2C_1290_ca._01%2C_pluteo_11_sin_1._f._138r.jpg "Firenze, porfirio, isagoge, e miscellanea di aristotele, 1290 ca. 01, pluteo 11 sin 1. f. 138r.jpg")
The ***Prior Analytics*** (; ) is a work by [Aristotle](/wiki/Aristotle "Aristotle") on [reasoning](/wiki/Deductive_reasoning "Deductive reasoning"), known as [syllogistic](/wiki/Syllogistic "Syllogistic"), composed around 350 BCE.[Aristotle's *Prior Analytic*s Classical archive, Massachusetts Institute of Technology](http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/prior.html) Being one of the six extant Aristotelian writings on logic and scientific method, it is part of what later [Peripatetics](/wiki/Peripatetics "Peripatetics") called the *[Organon](/wiki/Organon "Organon")*. 

The term *analytics* comes from the Greek words *analytos* (ἀναλυτός, 'solvable') and *analyo* (ἀναλύω, 'to solve', literally 'to loose'). However, in Aristotle's corpus, there are distinguishable differences in the meaning of ἀναλύω and its cognates. There is also the possibility that Aristotle may have borrowed his use of the word "analysis" from his teacher [Plato](/wiki/Plato "Plato"). On the other hand, the meaning that best fits the *Analytics* is one derived from the study of Geometry and this meaning is very close to what Aristotle calls *[episteme](/wiki/Episteme "Episteme")* (επιστήμη), knowing the reasoned facts. Therefore, Analysis is the process of finding the reasoned facts.

In the *Analytics* then, *Prior Analytics* is the first theoretical part dealing with the science of deduction and the *[Posterior Analytics](/wiki/Posterior_Analytics "Posterior Analytics")* is the second demonstratively practical part. *Prior Analytics* gives an account of deductions in general narrowed down to three basic syllogisms while *Posterior Analytics* deals with demonstration.


What are some potential implications or applications of the concepts discussed in Prior Analytics?