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and that there needs to be a first unmoved mover that is the source of this
eternal change and, by extension, of all change in the universe. By doing so
Aristotle shows that the general and consistent theory which was developed
in Books V and VI can be applied successfully to the whole of the cosmos
in order to give a final causal explanation of the occurrence of change as we
observe it day by day and by systematically working out the implications
and presuppositions of the empirical fact that change exists.
To put it in other words: in Phys. V Aristotle develops the concepts
necessary for a general explanation of the theory of change. Against this
background, Phys. VI, by presenting a consistent theory of the phenom-
enon of change, is then able to show that change is an appropriate object of
scientific inquiry, although there are powerful objections against this claim.
In contrast to these two rather abstract discussions, in Book VIII Aristotle
applies this theory of change to the cosmos and shows that it may account
for the empirical fact that change exists. Based on his general theory devel-
oped in the first parts of the Περὶ κινήσεως, Aristotle argues that there
must always have been change in the cosmos and that there needs to be a
first unmoved mover that is the source of all change in the universe.
This enables Aristotle to provide an adequate causal explanation of any
change in the cosmos and to show that his theory of change as a scientifically
graspable phenomenon as presented in Phys. V and VI that may serve as the
basis for any further inquiries by the student of nature is also compatible with
a consistent theory of change in the cosmos. In this sense, however, Phys.
VIII not only is closely connected to the discussion presented in Phys. V and
VI, but by presenting the theory of the first unmoved mover, that is, the eter-
nal primary cause and principle of all existing change, it leads the discussion
of the Περὶ κινήσεως to its final end; in following this course Aristotle takes
his discussion of sublunary change as far as it can go by introducing the
unmoved mover, an object that in a certain sense rather falls within the scope
of metaphysical inquiry.60 One needs to have all this in mind when discuss-
ing the arguments for the priority claim later on, and in fact we will see that
the claim that locomotion is the primary kind of change can only be under-
60 In this respect at least one may agree to Jaeger (1955), 314–315, who claims that Phys.
VIII in a certain sense “steht außerhalb der Physik”. Something similar is stated, for instance
by Graham (1999), ix, who thinks that Phys. VIII on the one hand is a piece of natural philo-
sophy, that on the other hand also deals with “the metaphysical presuppositions of physics”,
by which he refers to the introduction of the first unmoved mover. He even goes as far as say-
ing that Phys. VIII therefore needs to be considered as “a bridge between physics, cosmology,
metaphysics, and theology” (xvi). I agree that what is said in Phys. VIII in a certain respect
connects natural philosophy to these other areas of philosophy, yet, as I have stated, it is of
utmost importance that Aristotle is interested in giving an explanation of the existence of
change in the first place, which then may or may not involve establishing such points of con-
nection.
30 The importance of the primary kind of change
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