The Supposed Material Cause in Posterior Analytics 2.11

Abstract Aristotle presents four causes in Posterior Analytics 2.11, but where we expect matter we find instead the confusing formula, ‘what things being the case, necessarily this is the case’, and an equally confusing example. Some commentators infer that Aristotle is not referring to matter, othe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Phronesis
Main Author: Stein, Nathanael (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Brill 2021
In: Phronesis
Further subjects:B Matter
B Causation
B Demonstration
B Aristotle
Online Access: Volltext (Resolving-System)
Volltext (Verlag)
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Summary:Abstract Aristotle presents four causes in Posterior Analytics 2.11, but where we expect matter we find instead the confusing formula, ‘what things being the case, necessarily this is the case’, and an equally confusing example. Some commentators infer that Aristotle is not referring to matter, others that he is but in a non-standard way. I argue that APo . 94a20-34 presents not matter, but determination by general features or facts, including facts about something’s genus. The closest connection to matter is Aristotle’s view that the relation between genus and species is analogous to that between matter and a hylomorphic compound.
ISSN:1568-5284
Contains:Enthalten in: Phronesis
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1163/15685284-BJA10034