Philosophical Biology in Aristotle's Parts of Animals

213 Pages·2014·5.21 MB·English

by  Jason A. Tipton (auth.)

Studies in History and Philosophy of Science 26
Jason A. Tipton
Philosophical
Biology in
Aristotle's Parts
of Animals
Philosophical Biology in Aristotle’s
Parts of Animals
STUDIESIN HISTORY
AND PHILOSOPHY OFSCIENCE
VOLUME26
GeneralEditor:
STEPHENGAUKROGER,UniversityofSydney
EditorialAdvisoryBoard:
RACHELANKENY,UniversityofAdelaide
PETERANSTEY,UniversityofOtago,NewZealand
STEVENFRENCH,UniversityofLeeds
OFERGAL,UniversityofSydney
NICHOLASRASMUSSEN,UniversityofNewSouthWales
JOHNSCHUSTER,UniversityofNSW/UniversityofSydney
KOENVERMEIR,CentreNationaldelaRechercheScientifique,Paris
RICHARDYEO,GriffithUniversity
Forfurthervolumes:
http://www.springer.com/series/5671
Jason A. Tipton
Philosophical Biology in
Aristotle’s Parts of Animals
123
JasonA.Tipton
St.John’sCollege
Annapolis,MD,USA
ISSN0929-6425
ISBN978-3-319-01420-3 ISBN978-3-319-01421-0(eBook)
DOI10.1007/978-3-319-01421-0
SpringerChamHeidelbergNewYorkDordrechtLondon
LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2013951184
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Preface
Ifmylifeweretwo dimensional,thisbookwouldhaveseen thelightofdayyears
ago.IamsogratefultomywifeLizandourchildren,ZachandNora,foraddinga
thirddimension.TherehavebeenmanytimeswhenLizwatchedfromtheshoreas
Ispentcountlesshourstryingtocatchsomenondescriptfishaspartoftheworkthat
went into this book. She has been extremelygood-naturedas I have tried to coax
ourchildrenintosuchmadpursuits.
v

Acknowledgments
Theseedsofthisbookweresownintheofficeofmymentor,RonnaBurger.Given
myinterestinbiology,shecouldnotunderstandwhyIevencontemplatedworking
onPlato asa dissertationproject,asIhaddoneformymaster’sthesis. Inaturally
belonged among Aristotle’s more biological works. Ronna not only gave me that
initialpushbutchallengedmythinkingateverystep.Hergentleinfluenceisclear
tomeinmostofwhatishere.
IamalsoparticularlygratefultomycompatriotsinphilosophicalstudyatTulane
University—StevenBerg,MichaelGolluber,andMattOberrieder.HenryBart,my
advisor in Tulane University’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department,
helped further my love of the biological world, especially the world of fishes.
ConversationswithcolleaguesandstudentsatSt.John’sCollege,Annapolis,helped
sharpenmythinkingaboutAristotle.
I was very fortunate to receive a Fulbright Fellowship to Greece during the
2000–2001academicyearasthisprojectwascomingintofocusforme.Inaddition,
Sherry Fox and the Wiener Lab at the American School of Classical Studies in
Athens (ASCSA) helped in many ways as I attempted to follow Aristotle. The
ASCSA, a place more frequently populated with archaeologists and classicists,
provided a warm welcome to me and is the source of many fond memories. The
people of Lesvos, Greece, offered help and advice at many junctures. Among
the Lesvians, Hjalmar Dahm and Georgios Sitaras offered invaluable logistical
assistanceandfieldhelp.
vii

Contents
1 Aristotle’sPhilosophyandBiology:TheBiologicalPhenomena ....... 1
1.1 TheBiologicalPhenomena............................................ 2
1.2 Aristotle’s“Pre-Socraticism”......................................... 10
2 TheProblemofBeginnings(PAI.1) ....................................... 19
2.1 TheDivisionsofKnowledge.......................................... 20
2.2 ThreeProblemsConcerningMethodology........................... 21
2.3 ThePhainomena....................................................... 28
2.4 TheAncientsandTheirCausalAccounts:MaterialCause.......... 30
2.5 EfficientCause......................................................... 32
2.6 ErgonandFormalCause .............................................. 33
2.7 Soul,ErgonandNature................................................ 35
2.8 IntellectandMotion................................................... 37
2.9 NatureDoesEverythingforaPurpose ............................... 38
2.10 TeleologyandNature.................................................. 40
3 RecognizingSamenessandOthernessinAnimals(PAI.2–5)........... 47
3.1 DichotomousDivision................................................. 50
3.2 Nonbeing............................................................... 56
3.3 TheIndivisibleSpeciesofBeing(eidostitêsousiasatomon) ...... 58
3.4 DividingbyOusia ..................................................... 60
3.5 CommonFunctionsofBodyandSoul................................ 60
3.6 The Discontinuity of Dichotomous Division;
OrthePart/WholeRelationshipinDiscourse........................ 62
3.7 PlaitingandDividing.................................................. 63
3.8 SwimmersandFliersRevisited....................................... 64
3.9 BeingsandImmediateForms......................................... 66
3.10 BringingtheGodsDownIntotheInquiry............................ 67
3.11 ANewTurninDivision............................................... 69
ix