Teleology, First Principles, and Scientific Method in Aristotle's BiologyThis volume presents an interconnected set of sixteen essays, four of which are previously unpublished, by Allan Gotthelf—one of the leading experts in the study of Aristotle's biological writings. Gotthelf addresses three main topics across Aristotle's three main biological treatises. Starting with his own ground-breaking study of Aristotle's natural teleology and its illuminating relationship with the Generation of Animals, Gotthelf proceeds to the axiomatic structure of biological explanation (and the first principles such explanation proceeds from) in the Parts of Animals. After an exploration of the implications of these two treatises for our understanding of Aristotle's metaphysics, Gotthelf examines important aspects of the method by which Aristotle organizes his data in the History of Animals to make possible such a systematic, explanatory study of animals, offering a new view of the place of classification in that enterprise. In a concluding section on 'Aristotle as Theoretical Biologist', Gotthelf explores the basis of Charles Darwin's great praise of Aristotle and, in the first printing of a lecture delivered worldwide, provides an overview of Aristotle as a philosophically-oriented scientist, and 'a proper verdict' on his greatness as scientist. |
Contents
Part II First Principles and Explanatory Structure in the Parts of Animals PA | 151 |
Part III Metaphysical Themes in PA and GA | 215 |
Theoretical Aims of the History of Animals HA | 259 |
Part V Aristotle as Theoretical Biologist | 343 |
| 399 | |
Other editions - View all
Teleology, First Principles, and Scientific Method in Aristotle's Biology Allan Gotthelf Limited preview - 2012 |
Teleology, First Principles, and Scientific Method in Aristotle's Biology Allan Gotthelf No preview available - 2012 |
Common terms and phrases
actuality analysis animal kinds animal’s argued argument Aristotelian Aristotle Aristotle’s Biology attributes Balme’s biological birds bloodless causal chapter Charles claim conception Cuvier Darwin David Balme definition differences differentiae discussion distinctive division dunamis efficient cause egg-bearing eidos element-potentials embryogenesis explanatory fact final cause formal nature four-footed animals function Furth G. E. R. Lloyd genos Gotthelf heat History of Animals identified II–IV interpretation irreducible potential large kinds Lennox live-bearing living organism logos material necessity material-efficient megista gene mentioned Metaph Metaphysics mode natural teleology notion ŒÆd Ogle Ogle’s ousia passage Pellegrin Posterior Analytics potential for form precisely present principles puév quadrupeds question reading reference sake semen Sorabji sort speak specific spontaneous stomachs structure suggests teeth teleological explanation Theophrastus theory thesis things Toſs Töv Tów Tpós translation treatises widest class