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Physics: Books I and II
In the first two books of the Physics Aristotle discusses philosophical issues involved in the investigation of the physical universe. He introduces his distinction between form and matter and his fourfold classification of causes or explanatory factors, and defends teleological explanation. These books therefore form a natural entry into Aristotle's system as a whole, and also occupy an important place in the history of scientific thought.
The present volume provides a close literal translation, which can be used by serious students without Greek. The introduction and commentary deal with the interpretation and assessment, from a philosophical standpoint, of what Aristotle says.
This translation was first published in 1970.
The present volume provides a close literal translation, which can be used by serious students without Greek. The introduction and commentary deal with the interpretation and assessment, from a philosophical standpoint, of what Aristotle says.
This translation was first published in 1970.
- GenresPhilosophy
184 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1970
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17 people want to read
About the author
Aristotle
4,358 books5,619 followersAristotle (Greek: Αριστοτέλης; 384–322 BC) was an Ancient Greek philosopher and polymath. His writings cover a broad range of subjects spanning the natural sciences, philosophy, linguistics, economics, politics, psychology, and the arts. As the founder of the Peripatetic school of philosophy in the Lyceum in Athens, he began the wider Aristotelian tradition that followed, which set the groundwork for the development of modern science.
Little is known about Aristotle's life. He was born in the city of Stagira in northern Greece during the Classical period. His father, Nicomachus, died when Aristotle was a child, and he was brought up by a guardian. At 17 or 18, he joined Plato's Academy in Athens and remained there until the age of 37 (c. 347 BC). Shortly after Plato died, Aristotle left Athens and, at the request of Philip II of Macedon, tutored his son Alexander the Great beginning in 343 BC. He established a library in the Lyceum, which helped him to produce many of his hundreds of books on papyrus scrolls.
Though Aristotle wrote many treatises and dialogues for publication, only around a third of his original output has survived, none of it intended for publication. Aristotle provided a complex synthesis of the various philosophies existing prior to him. His teachings and methods of inquiry have had a significant impact across the world, and remain a subject of contemporary philosophical discussion.
Aristotle's views profoundly shaped medieval scholarship. The influence of his physical science extended from late antiquity and the Early Middle Ages into the Renaissance, and was not replaced systematically until the Enlightenment and theories such as classical mechanics were developed. He influenced Judeo-Islamic philosophies during the Middle Ages, as well as Christian theology, especially the Neoplatonism of the Early Church and the scholastic tradition of the Catholic Church.
Aristotle was revered among medieval Muslim scholars as "The First Teacher", and among medieval Christians like Thomas Aquinas as simply "The Philosopher", while the poet Dante Alighieri called him "the master of those who know". His works contain the earliest known formal study of logic, and were studied by medieval scholars such as Pierre Abélard and Jean Buridan. Aristotle's influence on logic continued well into the 19th century. In addition, his ethics, although always influential, gained renewed interest with the modern advent of virtue ethics.
Little is known about Aristotle's life. He was born in the city of Stagira in northern Greece during the Classical period. His father, Nicomachus, died when Aristotle was a child, and he was brought up by a guardian. At 17 or 18, he joined Plato's Academy in Athens and remained there until the age of 37 (c. 347 BC). Shortly after Plato died, Aristotle left Athens and, at the request of Philip II of Macedon, tutored his son Alexander the Great beginning in 343 BC. He established a library in the Lyceum, which helped him to produce many of his hundreds of books on papyrus scrolls.
Though Aristotle wrote many treatises and dialogues for publication, only around a third of his original output has survived, none of it intended for publication. Aristotle provided a complex synthesis of the various philosophies existing prior to him. His teachings and methods of inquiry have had a significant impact across the world, and remain a subject of contemporary philosophical discussion.
Aristotle's views profoundly shaped medieval scholarship. The influence of his physical science extended from late antiquity and the Early Middle Ages into the Renaissance, and was not replaced systematically until the Enlightenment and theories such as classical mechanics were developed. He influenced Judeo-Islamic philosophies during the Middle Ages, as well as Christian theology, especially the Neoplatonism of the Early Church and the scholastic tradition of the Catholic Church.
Aristotle was revered among medieval Muslim scholars as "The First Teacher", and among medieval Christians like Thomas Aquinas as simply "The Philosopher", while the poet Dante Alighieri called him "the master of those who know". His works contain the earliest known formal study of logic, and were studied by medieval scholars such as Pierre Abélard and Jean Buridan. Aristotle's influence on logic continued well into the 19th century. In addition, his ethics, although always influential, gained renewed interest with the modern advent of virtue ethics.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 4, 2022
Rating goes, naturally, to Charlton's commentary, not to the Philosopher
October 6, 2021
The question has always been the same: "Ti to on (what is being)?; Ek tinon proton esti ta onta (what do things ultimately come from)?"
In Books I and II of Physics, Aristotle was concerned with answering such questions in his usual scientific, organized, coherent, and well-articulated approach. It is of no mistake that he was ultimately concerned with the study of things that are subject to change while rectifying what has been damaged by previous theories. In Book I, he emphasized on the constituents of physical things. In Book II, he emphasized the development of plants and animals, providing in the process his well-known theory of the four causes. Aristotle's thesis, unlike what many people might think, was not focused on denying the forms and merely focusing on the sensible realm. Instead, he was rather concerned with emphasizing on matter as well as the forms; this duality fell in the core of his theory of hylomorphism.
The first master has taught me a lot.
Concerning the commentary, it would have been almost impossible (extremely difficult) for me to understand the text on its own in the absence of this commentary. The commentator is a scholar who was professionally trained to deal with such texts, and his illustrations on nuances makes a whole lot of a difference. There are some issues when it comes to translations that would have been impossible for the English reader to grasp in the absence of such commentaries.
All in all, these chapters, when combined with the given commentary, could be some of the most enlightening philosophical reads.
Always remember: "It is the sign of an educated mind to entertain a thought without accepting it." You can be mind-blown by something while simultaneously disagreeing with it.
In Books I and II of Physics, Aristotle was concerned with answering such questions in his usual scientific, organized, coherent, and well-articulated approach. It is of no mistake that he was ultimately concerned with the study of things that are subject to change while rectifying what has been damaged by previous theories. In Book I, he emphasized on the constituents of physical things. In Book II, he emphasized the development of plants and animals, providing in the process his well-known theory of the four causes. Aristotle's thesis, unlike what many people might think, was not focused on denying the forms and merely focusing on the sensible realm. Instead, he was rather concerned with emphasizing on matter as well as the forms; this duality fell in the core of his theory of hylomorphism.
The first master has taught me a lot.
Concerning the commentary, it would have been almost impossible (extremely difficult) for me to understand the text on its own in the absence of this commentary. The commentator is a scholar who was professionally trained to deal with such texts, and his illustrations on nuances makes a whole lot of a difference. There are some issues when it comes to translations that would have been impossible for the English reader to grasp in the absence of such commentaries.
All in all, these chapters, when combined with the given commentary, could be some of the most enlightening philosophical reads.
Always remember: "It is the sign of an educated mind to entertain a thought without accepting it." You can be mind-blown by something while simultaneously disagreeing with it.
August 7, 2012
I am reading this in conjunction with a book about Aristotle's thought -- I need help and direction to approach and understand it. But, with a little bit of preparation, and a lot of effort up front, to get used to the way he's thinking, I'm finding it interesting and rewarding to read Aristotle. His science is outdated, but philosophy doesn't seem to make progress in the same way that science does, and so his philosophical questions, and his answers to them are worth studying...if you're into that sort of thing, that is!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews