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Philosophical Biology in Aristotle's Parts of AnimalsThe Problem of Beginnings (PA I.1)

Philosophical Biology in Aristotle's Parts of Animals: The Problem of Beginnings (PA I.1) [As is often the case in the opening books of Aristotelian treatises, PA I is difficult to interpret because of the way in which all of the elements of the whole argument are anticipated. After some general thoughts on the division of knowledge into different kinds, Aristotle touches upon many of the most seemingly intractable problems to be explored in the analysis of the parts of animals. The issue of whether to examine the common attributes of animals or the more peculiar ones is examined (639a15 ff.), but not answered until the end of Book I. Aristotle contemplates whether one should begin an inquiry into nature by taking up the substantial beings (ousiai) themselves, such as human beings or lions. The issue of the inquiry into animal life turns to a more general reflection on the relation between phenomena that undergo generation and corruption versus things that do not, phenomena that are eternal; this distinction seems to distinguish zoology, or the study of the animate world more generally, from the study of mathematical physics.] http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png

Philosophical Biology in Aristotle's Parts of AnimalsThe Problem of Beginnings (PA I.1)

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References (26)

Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Copyright
© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014
ISBN
978-3-319-01420-3
Pages
19 –45
DOI
10.1007/978-3-319-01421-0_2
Publisher site
See Chapter on Publisher Site

Abstract

[As is often the case in the opening books of Aristotelian treatises, PA I is difficult to interpret because of the way in which all of the elements of the whole argument are anticipated. After some general thoughts on the division of knowledge into different kinds, Aristotle touches upon many of the most seemingly intractable problems to be explored in the analysis of the parts of animals. The issue of whether to examine the common attributes of animals or the more peculiar ones is examined (639a15 ff.), but not answered until the end of Book I. Aristotle contemplates whether one should begin an inquiry into nature by taking up the substantial beings (ousiai) themselves, such as human beings or lions. The issue of the inquiry into animal life turns to a more general reflection on the relation between phenomena that undergo generation and corruption versus things that do not, phenomena that are eternal; this distinction seems to distinguish zoology, or the study of the animate world more generally, from the study of mathematical physics.]

Published: Aug 29, 2013

Keywords: Causal Account; Theoretical Science; Efficient Causality; Animal Locomotion; Material Principle

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