PHIL422/522 SP20

The theme for this course is Aristotle’s theory of nature. We will examine some of the basic concepts of that theory (substance, form and matter, act and potency, teleology) and how they apply to specific issues in Aristotle’s physics, cosmology and biology. Though our primary aim will be to understand Aristotle’s theory of nature on its own terms, I hope to make time to relate it to what other philosophers have had to say about topics such as causation, scientific explanation, and the purpose of science generally.

All texts will be made available via Beachboard. Aristotle is not easy but he is cheap!