Aristotle's Physics: A Critical GuideMariska Leunissen Aristotle's study of the natural world plays a tremendously important part in his philosophical thought. He was very interested in the phenomena of motion, causation, place and time, and teleology, and his theoretical materials in this area are collected in his Physics, a treatise of eight books which has been very influential on later thinkers. This volume of new essays provides cutting-edge research on Aristotle's Physics, taking into account recent changes in the field of Aristotle in terms of its understanding of key concepts and preferred methodology. The contributions reassess the key concepts of the treatise (including nature, chance, teleology, art, and motion), reconstruct Aristotle's methods for the study of nature, and determine the boundaries of his natural philosophy. Due to the foundational nature of Aristotle's Physics itself, the volume will be a must-read for all scholars working on Aristotle. |
Contents
Aristotles μέθοδος | 10 |
Aristotle on interpreting nature | 31 |
Nature as a principle of change | 46 |
Aristotle on chance as an accidental cause | 66 |
Nature | 88 |
Artifacts | 107 |
The origins of Aristotles natural teleology in Physics ii | 121 |
Substantial generation in Physics i 57 | 144 |
Aristotles processes | 186 |
Unity of change and disunity | 206 |
Perfection and the physiology of habituation according | 225 |
Selfmotion as othermotion in Aristotles Physics | 245 |
The argument of Physics viii | 265 |
284 | |
296 | |
On how Aristotle arrived | 162 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
accidentally action activity actuality agent alteration Anaxagoras animal argue argument for natural argument in Physics Aristotelian Aristotle says Aristotle’s account Aristotle’s argument belongs capacity causal chance chapter character virtue circular locomotion circular motion claim comes craft analogy Democritus discussion distinction efficient cause elements Empedoclean opponent Empedocles energeia eternal change eternal motion example existence explain fact final cause goal habituation human hylomorphism idea imitates incomplete inquiry interpretation intrinsic ends investigation kind Leunissen luck matter means Metaph Metaphysics middle-points moved thing movement natural entities natural philosophy natural teleology natural things Nicomachean Ethics objects ontological passage perceptive philosophy Phys Physics ii.8 Physics viii Plato Posterior Analytics Potentiality Doctrine Premise primary principle of change production proper reading rectilinear locomotion rectilinear motion relation relevant result sake self-mover sense soul sublunary substance suggests Timaeus underlying subject unmoved mover v–vi winter rain ἕνεκα καὶ μέθοδος τὸ