De Groot Aristotle and Philoponus on Light

Erscheinungsjahr 2015
ISBN: 978-1-317-38063-4
Verlag: CRC Press
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 198 Seiten

Reihe: Routledge Library Editions: Aristotle

Originally published in 1991. Philoponus’ long commentary on Aristotle’s definition of light sets up the major concerns, both in optics and theory of light, that is discussed here. Light was of special interest in Neoplatonism because of its being something incorporeal in the world of natural bodies and therefore had a special role in the philosophical analysis of the interpenetration of bodies and also as a paradigm for the soul-body problem. The material investigated in this book contains much about the physiology of vision as well as the propagation of light. Several chapters investigate the philosophical theory and its origins in ‘multiplication of species.’ These issues in the history of science philosophy are looked at further and an analysis is offered of the development of the distinction between Aristotle’s kinesis and energeia. The book covers a substantial amount of the philosophy of mathematical science from the point of view of Philoponus, drawing on more of his works relating to three dimensionality.

Autoren/Hrsg.

De Groot, Jean

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Philosophie Philosophie: Allgemeines, Methoden

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Preface 1. Philoponus and Alexandria: An Historical Introduction 2. Reconciling the Mathematical and Physical Aspects of Optics 3. The Propagation of Light Without the Passage of Time 4. The Propagation of Light, Impetus Theory, and Aristotle’s Physics III.3 5. Reexamining the Case for Neoplatonic Influence on Philoponus’ Causal Theories 6. The Physical Basis for Mathematical Demonstration in Optics 7. Mathematical Demonstration in a Mixed Science 8. Conclusion. Appendices: Analysis and Translation of Philoponus’ Commentary on De Anima II.7, 418b9; On the Interpretation of Physics VIII.3, 253b15-35. Bibliography. Indices

Über Autor(innen)

Jean De Groot is Associate Professor of Philosophy at The Catholic University of America in Washington DC.