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1. Introduction
What is the connection between a living being coming to be, a blade of
grass growing, a leaf changing colour, and my walking from here to there?
In each of the four examples a change is described, yet the way in which
the respective subject changes is different in all four cases. In fact, each of
the examples stands for one of the four respects in which according to Aris-
totle change (κίνησις/μεταβολή) may occur.1 Something x may change in
respect of substance (κατ᾽ οὐσίαν), quality (κατὰ ποιόν), quantity (κατὰ
ποσόν), or place (κατὰ τόπον), that is to say, the subject may undergo
generation and corruption (γένεσις καὶ φθορά), alteration (ἀλλοίωσις),
growth and diminution (αὔξησις καὶ φθίσις), or locomotion (φορά).2 In
Book VIII of the work which we call the Physics, but also in other places,
Aristotle claims that of these four types of change the latter, i.e. locomotion,
in general should be considered the most important and primary (πρώτη
τῶν κινήσεων), in that it has priority over the other types in different
ways3, which for instance finds its expression in the fact that according to
Aristotle there is no change in quality, quantity, or substance without loco-
motion, while the converse does not hold.4
1 Aristotle often uses both κίνησις (motion) and μεταβολή (change) in referring to the
four different kinds of change he thinks exist. In Phys. V 1 and 2, however, he explicitly dis-
tinguishes the terms from one another: κίνησις only covers the three kinds of non-substantial
change, namely change in place, quality, and quantity, while μεταβολή is used as the more
general term, and stands for all of the four kinds of change, i.e. for the non-substantial kinds
as well as for change with respect to substance (see Phys. V 1, 225a34–b3, V 2, 226a23–25 and
226b8–10). I will use ‘change’ for both κίνησις and μεταβολή where the difference between
the terms is of no importance, and render κίνησις as ‘non-substantial change’ when the con-
text suggests that κίνησις is restricted to this sense. For more on the different uses of κίνησις
vs. μεταβολή see for instance Ross (1936), 7–8, and Waterlow (1982), 93–95.
2 For the four kinds of change see for instance Phys. III 1, 200b33–201a1, and more gener-
ally V 1–2.
3 See for instance Phys. VIII 7, 260b15–19, and 261a27. In Phys. VII 2, 243a39–40 and
Phys. VIII 7, 260a26–29, Aristotle claims that locomotion is primary with respect to the non-
substantial types of change. See also Phys. IV 1, 208a31–32 where Aristotle points out that
locomotion is “the most common [κοινὴ μάλιστα] sort of change, and that which is most
properly [κυριωτάτη] so called” (Transl. Morison (2002), 11.) Something similar is said in
Phys. VIII 9, 266a1–2. For more on the connection between the fact that φορά is the primary
and most common kind of change see Morison (2002), 13–15.
4 See Phys. VIII 7, 260b26–29.
ISBN Print: 9783525253069 — ISBN E-Book: 9783647253060
© 2014, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht GmbH & Co. KG, Göttingen
The Priority of Locomotion in Aristotle’s Physics
- Titel
- The Priority of Locomotion in Aristotle’s Physics
- Autor
- Sebastian Odzuck
- Herausgeber
- Dorothea Frede
- Gisela Striker
- Verlag
- Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht GmbH & Co
- Datum
- 2014
- Sprache
- englisch
- Lizenz
- CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
- ISBN
- 9783647253060
- Abmessungen
- 15.5 x 23.2 cm
- Seiten
- 238
- Kategorien
- Geisteswissenschaften
- Naturwissenschaften Physik
Inhaltsverzeichnis
- Acknowledgements 9
- 1. Introduction 10
- 2. The importance of the primary kind of change 14
- 3. Change in quality and quantity of living beings depends on loco-motion, but not vice versa 42
- 4. Locomotion necessarily accompanies each of the other kinds of change, but not vice versa 71
- 4.1 Overview 71
- 4.2 What changes in quantity changes with respect to place 73
- 4.3 What undergoes generation or corruption changes with respect to place 89
- 4.4 What changes in quality changes with respect to place 98
- 4.4.1 Overview 98
- 4.4.2 What does it mean that condensation and rarefaction are principles of quality? 100
- 4.4.3 Every alteration involves a change in the four basic qualities 104
- 4.4.4 Every change in the four basic qualities involves con- densation or rarefaction 108
- 4.4.5 Condensation and rarefaction are forms of aggregation and segregation 110
- 4.4.6 What changes in quality changes with respect to place 112
- 4.4.7 Conclusion 113
- 4.5 Conclusion 113
- 5. All changes depend on the first locomotion, but not vice versa 115
- 6. Locomotion has temporal priority 144
- 6.1 Overview 144
- 6.2 Locomotion has priority in time, since it is the only change eternals can undergo 146
- 6.3 Objection: Locomotion is the last of all changes in perishable things 148
- 6.4 Coming to be presupposes an earlier locomotion 150
- 6.5 The locomotion of the sun as a cause of generation 154
- 6.6 Conclusion 162
- 7. Locomotion is prior in essence 164
- 7.1 Locomotion is prior in essence, since it is last in coming to be 164
- 7.2 Locomotion alone preserves its subject’s essence 186
- 7.2.1 Overview 186
- 7.2.2 Locomotion does not change its subject’s being 188
- 7.2.3 Locomotion preserves its subject’s essence best 190
- 7.2.4 Making x depart from its essence by being part of a change in essence? 195
- 7.2.5 Change in quality or quantity in principle may result in a change in essence 202
- 7.3 Conclusion: Locomotion’s priority in essence 207
- 8. Conclusion 211
- Bibliography 220
- List of Abbreviations 223
- Index Locorum 221
- Index Nominum 223
- Index Rerum 221