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in the superlunary sphere, only living beings strictly speaking can be
sources of change, as only they can actually be responsible for initiating
their own changes, unlike the inanimate elements whose movement
depends in some way on an external agent (as Aristotle explains in Physics
VIII 4).53 This, however, is also in accordance with the basic idea stated by
Aristotle just two chapters before the discussion of the priority of locomo-
tion in Phys. VIII 5; for there he argued that any kind of change is either
self-caused by that which is undergoing this change, or that this change can
be traced back to some other self-mover.54 The only things in the sublunary
sphere that are self-movers, it seems, are living beings. As the passage from
the MA therefore pointed out correctly, all changes that do not have their
cause in something from the superlunary sphere will necessarily have their
source of change in a living being.
All this, of course, has implications for the interpretation of the argument
as a whole, because it clearly shows that locomotion must be prior to the
other non-substantial kinds of change not only with respect to living beings,
but also to all other changes that have their cause in a living being. That is
to say, if locomotion is prior with respect to all changes of which a living
thing may be the source, then the same must be true for all other changes
which are caused by this being. Accordingly, any change in magnitude that
is caused either directly or through a number of intermediate steps by a liv-
ing being must also in the end be preceded by locomotion. Thus, it is cor-
rect to say, at the very least, that locomotion necessarily precedes any
change in quantity and quality that a living being undergoes in the sense
stated above or that is undergone by something else in virtue of a living
being’s causing of this change.
3.5 The reason for the restriction of the argument’s scope
This, of course, does not show that φορά is prior to change in quality and
quantity in general, although this seems to be what is claimed at the begin-
ning of the passage in 260a26–29, because, as we have seen, besides the
changes that are caused by living things, there are still other kinds and
causes of change in the cosmos.
However, as I said before, this is not what the argument is primarily
about, although Aristotle does not make this explicit. Part of the project
53 As is pointed out in Phys. VIII 4, 255a5–7 and 255b29–31, the elemental bodies, which
at least according to Phys. II 1, 192b8–15, have a nature, cannot be called self-movers in the
strict sense. For more on this see Nussbaum (1985), 322–323.
54 See Phys. VIII 5, 256a13–21 and 256b1–3.
58 Change in quality and quantity of living beings
ISBN Print: 9783525253069 — ISBN E-Book: 9783647253060
© 2014, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht GmbH & Co. KG, Göttingen
The Priority of Locomotion in Aristotle’s Physics
- Title
- The Priority of Locomotion in Aristotle’s Physics
- Author
- Sebastian Odzuck
- Editor
- Dorothea Frede
- Gisela Striker
- Publisher
- Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht GmbH & Co
- Date
- 2014
- Language
- English
- License
- CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
- ISBN
- 9783647253060
- Size
- 15.5 x 23.2 cm
- Pages
- 238
- Categories
- Geisteswissenschaften
- Naturwissenschaften Physik
Table of contents
- 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