Aristotle & The Science of Nature. Unity without Uniformity
Brief Description
In this book, I explore the significance of the study of the celestial world for Aristotle's science of nature. I argue that, while Aristotle insists that the celestial world is radically different from the sublunary world, Aristotle yet conceives of the natural world as one department of reality with sufficient unity to be the object of a single science. I also investigate the source of the discontinuity between celestial and sublunary natures and argues that the conviction that the natural world exhibits unity without uniformity is the ultimate reason for Aristotle's claim that the heavens are made of a special body, unique to them.
This book presents Aristotle as a totally engaged, systematic investigator whose ultimate concern was to integrate his distinct and specific investigations into a coherent interpretation of the world we live in, all the while mindful of human limitations to what can ultimately be known. I read in Aristotle the ambition of an extraordinarily curious mind and the confidence that that ambition has been largely fulfilled.
Book reviews
Scott Rubarth, Journal of the History of Philosophy 46.4 (2008): 632-633; Francesco Verde, Syzetesis 2008.9; Pierre Pellegrin, Isis 98.4 (2007): 823-824; Rosamund K. Sprague, Ancient Philosophy (2007): 432-434; David Evans, The British Journal for the History of Philosophy 15 (4) : 785-787; David Williams, Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2007.10.03; Lindsay Judson, Archiv fur Geschichte der Philosophie 89.2 (2007): 241-245; David Depew, British Journal for the History of Science, 40.1 (2007): 123-124; John Scott, Philosophy in Review/Comptes rendus philosophiques, 27.1 (2007): 20-22; Frédéric Gain, Revue philosophique de Louvain 105. 1-2 (2007): 210-216; Jude Dougherty, The Review of Metaphysics 60.1 (2006): 154-155
