Aristotle's Physics Alpha: Symposium AristotelicumKaterina Ierodiakonou, Paul Kalligas, Vassilis Karasmanis Oxford University Press, May 30, 2019 - 400 pages The volumes of the Symposium Aristotelicum have become essential reference works for the study of Aristotle. In this nineteenth volume, eleven distinguished scholars of ancient philosophy provide a running commentary on the first book of Aristotle's Physics, a central treatise of theAristotelian corpus that aims at knowledge of the principles of physical change. Along with the general introduction, the ten chapters together comment on the entirety of the Aristotelian text and discuss the philosophical issues that are raised in it in detail. Aristotle is shown to be in dialoguewith the divergent doctrines of earlier philosophers, namely with the Eleatics' monism, with Anaxagoras' theory of mixture, and finally with the Platonist dyadism that posits the two principles of Form and the Great and Small. Aristotle uses critical examination of his predecessors' views sat herbasis for formulating his own theory of the principles of natural things, which are fundamental for the entire Aristotelian study of the natural world. Aristotle provides his own solution to the problem of coming-to-be and passing-away by distinguishing between coming-to-be in actuality and inpotentiality. Comprehensive analysis of Aristotle's doctrines and arguments, as well as critical discussion of rival interpretations, will makes this volume a valuable resource for scholars of Aristotle. |
Contents
Some General Remarks on Aristotles Physics I | 1 |
The Path to the Principles | 19 |
Looking for a Starting PointThe Eleatic Paradox Put to Good Use | 53 |
Towards the PrinciplesResolving the Eleatics Arguments for Absolute Monism | 89 |
One and Many | 124 |
Principles and Contraries | 156 |
A Third and Underlying Principle | 190 |
The Complexity of the Subject in a Change | 229 |
The Principles of Natural ThingsTwo or Three? | 262 |
The Route to Solving the Eleatic Puzzle | 286 |
Responding to the Platonists | 302 |
341 | |
351 | |
356 | |
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Common terms and phrases
6Tep accidental airó Anaxagoras Anaximander animal argues argument Aristotelian Aristotle says attribute biped bronze chapter claim clear come-to-be coming coming-to-be complex composite conclusion constituents contraries Corr Democritus diaeresis discussion distinction dpxaí dpxaſ efficient cause Eleatic elements Empedocles eristic essence eternal example explain fact genus homoeomeries Horstschäfer 1998 intermediate interpretation kata kind knowable matter matter-privation mean Melissus Metaphysics mixture monists musical namely natural philosophers natural substances natural things not—being notion number of principles opposites ousia pair pale Parmenides particular passage Phaedo Philoponus philosophers Physics I 9 Plato Platonists plurality position possible posterior Posterior Analytics predecessors predicate premise present primary contrariety principles of natural privation puzzle question reading reason reference relevant role Ross seems sense SG-R Simplicius statue substrate substratum suggests thesis Timaeus underlying nature underlying principle unity universal unmoved mover unmusical