Aristotle on the Nature and Causes of Perception

Provides a fresh interpretation of Aristotle's account of perception, emphasising its philosophical relevance, posing new questions, and refocusing the debate.

Robert Roreitner (Author)

9781009533812, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 22 May 2025

284 pages
23.5 x 15.9 x 2.1 cm, 0.56 kg

'This study – careful, informed, tightly integrated, and thorough – makes an important contribution to the literature on Aristotle's theory of perception. Highlights include its emphasis on 'continued' perceiving, as the central phenomenon to be explained, and its development of a dynamic account of perceptual discrimination, as a way to do justice to it without prejudice to the soul's impassibility. It is sure to become essential reading on its topic.' , Sean Kelsey, University of Notre Dame

In this book Robert Roreitner offers a fresh interpretation of Aristotle's philosophically intriguing answers to what the nature of perception is, how it can be explained, and how perception is distinguished from mere appearance. He argues that for Aristotle, perception is a complete passive activity, and explains why this notion merely appears self-contradictory to us. He shows how Aristotle succeeds in integrating causal, qualitative, and relational aspects of perception, and explains why he is neither a 'spiritualist' nor a 'materialist'. He presses and resolves an unappreciated dilemma for Aristotle's hylomorphic account of perception and the role of the soul therein. This rich study shows that although Aristotle's understanding of perception may be in many respects outmoded, its core insights remain philosophically engaging. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

Introduction
1. Accounting for receptivity
2. The predecessors' Dilemma
3. Complete passive activity
4. The flesh and bones of perception
5. The passivity of perception and the impassive soul
6. Perception as a discriminative activity
7. Reception of forms without the matter and its unmoved causes
Conclusion
Appendix
Index.

Subject Areas: Western philosophy: Ancient, to c 500 [HPCA]