Universals of rational (philosophical) theology: the origin of the argument from analogy (on the example of “Alcibiades I”)

The universals of rational (philosophical) theology have a different history of their origin. One of the universals, the so-called argument from analogy, has its origins in the theme of self-knowledge in the tradition of Plato and Aristotle. The dialogue “Alcibiades I” contains a fragment that is directly related to the structure of the argument from analogy (313s 1-6). Its analysis allows not only to draw a number of parallels with the works of Aristotle devoted to the topics of self-knowledge and self- consciousness, but also to see the logic of the “argument from analogy”, only acting as if in the opposite direction. In the “classical” version, this is the logic of reasoning from the intelligence of the Other to the intelligence of the Cause of the universe. In the case of “Alcibiades I” - from the divine rationality of the universe (hidden premise) and the divinity of the soul of the mentor, a conclusion is made about the rationality of the soul of the student.