Book 3 of Aristotle's Physics primarily concerns two important concepts for his theory of nature: change and infinity. Change is important because, in Book 2, he has defined nature - the subject-matter of the Physics - as an internal source of change. Much of his discussion is dedicated to showing that the change occurs in the patient which undergoes it, not in the agent which causes it. Thus Book 3 is an important step in clearing the way for Book 8's claims for a divine mover who causes change but in whom no change occurs. The second half of Book 3 introduces Aristotle's doctrine of infinity as something which is always potential, never actual, never traversed and never multiplied. Here, as elsewhere, Philoponus the Christian turns Aristotle's own infinity arguments against the pagan Neoplatonist belief in a beginningless universe. Such a universe, Philoponus replies, would involve actual infinity of past years already traversed, and a multiple number of past days. The commentary also contains intimations of the doctrine of impetus - which has been regarded, in its medieval context, as a scientific revolution - as well as striking examples of Philoponus' use of thought experiments to establish philosophical and broadly scientific conclusions.
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Preface Introduction Textual Emendations TRANSLATION Notes Bibliography English-Greek Glossary Greek-English Index Index of Passages Cited Subject Index
Book 3 of Aristotle's Physics primarily concerns two important concepts for his theory of nature: change and infinity.
The latest volume in a prestigious scholarly series, now in over 90 volumes
The Ancient Commentators on Aristotle series is a prestigious scholarly project, which translates into English the principal works of the Neoplatonist commentators on Aristotle. The translation in each volume is accompanied by an introduction, comprehensive commentary notes, bibliography, glossary of translated terms and a subject index. Praise for the series: "A truly breathtaking achievement, with few parallels in the history of scholarly endeavour" Times Literary Supplement "Well-known and renowned" Bryn Mawr Classical Review "One of the great scholarly achievements of our time" British Journal for the History of Philosophy "Without any doubt, it is this enterprise of R. Sorabji which has had the greatest impact among historians of ancient philosophy." Ilsetraut Hadot in Le Néoplatonicien Simplicius à la lumière des recherches contemporaines
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Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9781780934341
Publisert
2014-04-10
Utgiver
Vendor
Bloomsbury Academic
Vekt
278 gr
Høyde
234 mm
Bredde
156 mm
Aldersnivå
P, 06
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Heftet
Antall sider
224

Forfatter

Biographical note

M. J. Edwards is Lecturer in Patristics at Oxford