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Logikôs Argumentation in Aristotle’s Natural Science

  • Adam Woodcox EMAIL logo
From the journal Apeiron

Abstract

This paper offers a novel interpretation of the nature and role of logical (logikôs) argumentation in Aristotle’s natural philosophy. In contrast to the standard domain interpretation, which makes logikôs argumentation the contrary of phusikôs, relying on principles drawn from outside the domain of natural science, I propose that the essential or defining feature of logikôs argumentation is the use of principles that are general relative to the question under investigation. My interpretation is developed and illustrated with a close textual analysis of Aristotle’s explanation of mule sterility in Generation of Animals II 8.


Corresponding author: Adam Woodcox, Department of Philosophy, Western University, 1151 Richmond St., London, Ontario N6A 5B8, Canada, E-mail:

I am grateful to Devin Henry, Mariska Leunissen, Joseph Karbowski, and Cecilia Li for reading and discussing earlier drafts of this paper with me. Thanks also to two anonymous referees for their very helpful questions and suggestions.


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Published Online: 2020-11-20
Published in Print: 2022-01-27

© 2020 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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