Philosophical Issues in Aristotle's Biology

Allan Gotthelf (Edited by), James G. Lennox (Edited by)

9780521310918, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 22 October 1987

476 pages
22.3 x 15.4 x 3 cm, 0.69 kg

'It is obvious that Aristotelian studies has gained a new vitality, and the book is … a shining example of how the philosophy of science can enlighten the general history of ideas.' Gunnar Erikson, translated from Lychnos

Aristotle's biological works - constituting over 25% of his surviving corpus and for centuries largely unstudied by philosophically oriented scholars - have been the subject of an increasing amount of attention of late. This collection brings together some of the best work that has been done in this area, with the aim of exhibiting the contribution that close study of these treatises can make to the understanding of Aristotle's philosophy. The book is divided into four parts, each with an introduction which places its essays in relation to each other and to the wider issues of the book as a whole. The first part is an overview of the relationship of Aristotle's biology to his philosophy; the other three each concentrate on a set of issues central to Aristotelian study - definition and demonstration; teleology and necessity in nature; and metaph themes such as the unity of matter and form and the nature of substance.

Preface
Introduction
Part I. Biology and Philosophy: An Overview: Introduction
1. The place of biology in Aristotle's philosophy D. M. Balme
2. Aristotle's biological universe: an overview Montgomery Furth
3. Empirical research in Aristotle's biology G. E. R. Lloyd
Part II. Definition and Demonstration: Theory and Practice: Introduction
4. Aristotle's use of division and differentiae D. M. Balme
5. Divide and explain: the Posterior Analytics in practice James G. Lennox
6. Definition and scientific method in Aristotle's Posterior Analytics and Generation of Animals Robert Bolton
7. First principles in Aristotle's Parts of Animals Allan Gotthelf
Part III. Teleology and Necessity in Nature: Introduction
8. Aristotle's conception of final causality Allan Gotthelf
9. Hypothetical necessity and natural teleology John M. Cooper
10. Teleology and necessity D. M. Balme
Part IV. Metaphysical Themes: Introduction
11. Aristotle's biology was not essentialist D. M. Balme
12. Logical difference and biological difference: the unity of Aristotle's thought Pierre Pellegrin
13. Kinds, forms of kinds, and the more and the less in Aristotle's biology James G. Lennox
14. Animals and other beings in Aristotle L. A. Kosman
15. Aristotle on bodies, matter, and potentiality Cynthia A. Freeland
16. Aristotle on the place of mind in nature William Charlton
Index locorum
General index.

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