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Headword: *fusiko\s lo/gos
Adler number: phi,862
Translated headword: physical discourse
Vetting Status: high
Translation:
[Physical discourse sc. is a term used] among philosophers. After the ethical they expound upon the physical [sc. discourse], that is on bodies, on principles, elements, limits of the world, place, and void; on stars, on the sun, on the commanding part [sc. of the soul]; how we see; what [is] the cause of an image in a mirror; on clouds, thunders, the rainbow.[1]
"[Note] that there are three [sc. components] in the physical realities: form, matter, and the cause in virtue of which form is in the matter. And five methods of investigation, he [Aristotle] says, are concerned with these: physics, each science in particular, dialectics, mathematics, the first philosophy.[2] And [sc. the task] of the natural philosopher is to articulate dialectically on all the parts of the soul mentioned, on matter, on the physical realities, and on the cause of the form.[3] For example, that the matter of the celestial bodies is not the four elements, but some other [sc. kind of] body.[4] Again, what is the form? That [they are] spherical. And why [are they] spherical?[5] Because the circle is the most capacious compared to the other figures in the plane, and the sphere among the solids. And as Plato in the Timaeus has explained, because of this the heaven is spherical,[6] so Aristotle too gives the cause for the shape of the heaven: for in the eternal it [sc. the spherical] [is] going to be present, he says.[7] And Plotinus (not Plato[8]) also gives the cause from the condition which it [sc. the heaven] has in relation to things prior to it. The intelligible substances [are] proximate to and beyond the celestial bodies, and that which is caused must be very much like its proximate cause and must convey its image and imitation. Because of this indeed, he says, the heaven moves in a circle, because it imitates the intellect.[9] For peculiar to the intellect [nou=s] [is] to incline [neu/ein] toward itself; for it [is] the seeing, it [is] the being seen;[10] for seeing the forms, it sees itself, and seeing itself, it has contemplated the forms; for it is the fullness of the forms and the form of forms. Thus, the heaven has its spherical shape due to the circular movement,[11] and this [is] due to its assimilation to the intellect. And besides, it imitates the intellect, which is everywhere, for its body comes into being everywhere. Thus, by coming to be everywhere, it imitates what exists everywhere, for both the turning inward and the assimilation to the higher things are a fulfillment of the lower things. In this way the natural philosopher will explain the form, the matter, and the cause of natural things. But the craftsman--attending to the particular, and, although concerned himself with these things--differs from the natural philosopher, in that his task concentrates on some individual thing, such as the physician on human bodies, the carpenter on stones and wood. But he [sc. the craftsman] will also provide the definition, encompassing the form, the matter, and the cause. And he differs in other ways.[12]”
Greek Original:
*fusiko\s lo/gos para\ filoso/fois. meta\ to\n h)qiko\n diece/rxontai peri\ tou= fusikou=, toute/sti peri\ swma/twn, peri\ a)rxw=n kai\ stoixei/wn kai\ pera/twn tou= ko/smou kai\ to/pou, kenou=: peri\ a)ste/rwn, peri\ h(li/ou, peri\ tou= h(gemonikou=: pw=s o(rw=men: ti/s h( ai)ti/a th=s katoptrikh=s fantasi/as: peri\ nefw=n, brontw=n, i)/ridos. o(/ti tri/a ei)si\n e)n toi=s fusikoi=s pra/gmasin, ei)=dos, u(/lh kai\ h( ai)ti/a, kaq' h(/n e)sti to\ ei)=dos e)n th=| u(/lh|. kai\ katagi/nontai, fhsi/, peri\ tau=ta me/qodoi pe/nte: h( fusikh/, h( kata\ me/ros te/xnh, h( dialektikh/, h( maqhmatikh/, h( prw/th filosofi/a. e)/sti de\ fusikou= me\n peri\ pa/ntwn tw=n ei)rhme/nwn th=s yuxh=s merw=n dialexqh=nai, kai\ th=s u(/lhs, kai\ tw=n fusikw=n pragma/twn, kai\ tou= ei)/dous th=s ai)ti/as. oi(=on o(/ti tw=n ou)rani/wn u(/lh, ou)xi\ ta\ te/ssara stoixei=a, a)lla\ e(/tero/n ti sw=ma. pa/lin, ti/ to\ ei)=dos; o(/ti sfairika/. kai\ dia\ ti/ sfairika/; o(/ti poluxwrhto/taton e)n e)pipe/dw| me\n tw=n a)/llwn sxhma/twn o( ku/klos, e)n stereoi=s de\ h( sfai=ra. w(s kai\ o( *pla/twn e)n *timai/w| dia\ tou=to sfairiko\n gene/sqai to\n ou)rano\n a)pode/dwke. kai\ o( *)aristote/lhs a)podi/dwsin ai)ti/an peri\ tou= sxh/matos tou= ou)ranou=: tw=| ga\r a)i+di/w| fhsi\n e)some/nw|. a)podi/dwsi de\ kai\ o( *pla/twn ai)ti/an e)k th=s sxe/sews, h(\n e)/xei pro\s ta\ pro\ au(tou=. prosexw=s de/ ei)sin u(pe\r ta\ ou)ra/nia ai( nohtai\ ou)si/ai: dei= de\ to\ ai)tiato\n o(/ti ma/lista w(moiw=sqai tw=| prosexei= ai)ti/w| kai\ tou/tou ei)ko/na kai\ mi/mhma fe/rein. dia\ tou=to ou)=n, fhsi/, ku/klw| kinei=tai o( ou)rano/s, o(/ti nou=n mimei=tai: i)/dion ga\r tou= nou= to\ pro\s e(auto\n neu/ein: au)to\s ga\r o( o(rw=n, au)to\s o( o(rw/menos: o(rw=n ga\r ta\ ei)/dh e(auto\n o(ra=|, kai\ e(auto\n o(rw=n ta\ ei)/dh teqe/atai: plh/rwma ga/r e)sti tw=n ei)dw=n kai\ ei)=dos ei)dw=n. e)/xei ou)=n o( ou)rano\s to\ sfairiko\n sxh=ma dia\ th\n ku/klw| ki/nhsin: tau/thn de\ dia\ th\n pro\s to\n nou=n e)comoi/wsin: kai\ a)/llws mimei=tai to\n nou=n pantaxou= o)/nta: kai\ ga\r kai\ to\ sw=ma pantaxou= gi/netai. tw=| ou)=n pantaxh= gi/nesqai to\ pantaxou= o)\n mimei=tai: telei/wsis ga\r tw=n xeiro/nwn h( pro\s ta\ u(pe/rtera e)pistrofh/ te kai\ e)comoi/wsis. ou(/tw me\n o( fusiko\s tw=n fusikw=n a)podw/sei kai\ to\ ei)=dos kai\ th\n u(/lhn kai\ to\ ai)/tion: o( de\ kata\ me/ros texni/ths kai\ au)to\s me\n peri\ tw=n au)tw=n dialamba/nei, diafe/rei de\ tou= fusikou=, o(/ti peri\ meriko/n ti gi/netai pra=gma, oi(=on o( i)atro\s peri\ ta\ a)nqrw/peia sw/mata, o( te/ktwn peri\ li/qous kai\ cu/la. a)podw/sei de\ kai\ ou(=tos to\n o(rismo/n, perilamba/nwn kai\ to\ ei)=dos kai\ th\n u(/lhn kai\ th\n ai)ti/an. diafe/rei de\ kata\ a)/llous tro/pous.
Notes:
[1] This section of the entry paraphrases (with slight variations) a Stoic doxography on physics: see Diogenes Laertius 7.132-133 (web address 1) and Hicks (236-239). The immediate source then becomes John Philoponus, Commentary on Aristotle's de anima 55.26-29, 55.31-57.7; cf. Hayduck in CAG XV.
[2] See Aristotle's distinction of the different sciences in Metaphysics 6.1. In this passage three of the methods of investigation are at least mentioned: physics, mathematics, and the first philosophy. Aristotle calls them 'sciences' or 'forms of knowledge' (epistemai; Met. 1025b18ff.), but to some extent they are also 'methods of investigation' (methodoi) in a specific field of research. Mathematics, physics and the first philosophy are included within what Aristotle calls 'theoretical sciences'. This passage is taken from John Philoponus, Commentary on Aristotle’s de anima 55.26-29; cf. van der Eijk (73). Philoponus here comments on Aristotle, de anima 403a29.
[3] Aristotle in fact first presents dialectically the views of previous philosophers and then argues for his own thesis.
[4] That is, the ether (see Aristotle, de caelo 1.2-3). To account for the change in the domain of the sphere under the moon Aristotle posits four elements (fire, air, water, earth), whose movements are toward their 'proper or natural' place: for fire and air, upwards, for water and earth, downwards. Thus all the bodies and natural magnitudes, Aristotle says, move by themselves according to place, for nature is for them the principle of movement (de caelo 268b14ff.). Since Aristotle thinks that the natural bodies are composed of these terrestrial four elements, their natural movement will be the 'proper movement' of the predominant element, that is, that element which is present in the object in a higher degree (see Physics 212b29-213a10; de caelo 301a20-302a9). By contrast, the heavenly bodies are just composed of ether, 'the fifth element', whose only movement is the circular one. The celestial bodies composed of this element undergo neither generation nor destruction (for the Aristotelian arguments in favor of this thesis, see de caelo 1).
[5] This passage follows Philoponus, op. cit., 55.31-56.4.
[6] Plato, Timaeus 38c-40c.
[7] Aristotle, de caelo 286b10ff. This portion of the entry is abstracted from Philoponus, op. cit., 56.4-20.
[8] Philoponus names Plotinus, not Plato as the lexicographer transmits.
[9] Plotinus 2.2.1.1. Here the entry follows Philoponus, op. cit., 56.21-26; cf. van der Eijk (73-74).
[10] Plotinus 5.1.7 reads: a)ll' ou) nou=s e)kei=no. pw=s ou)=n nou=n genna=|; h)\ o(/ti th=| e)pistrofh=| pro\s au(to\ e(w/ra. h( de\ o(/rasis au(/th nou=s. This could be translated as "But Intellect is not that [sc. Good]. How then does it generate Intellect? Because by its return to itself it sees, and this seeing is Intellect." This rendering conforms to Philoponus's interpretation as something inclining toward itself: to\ pro\s e(auto\n neu/ein. Despite the rough breathing in the Loeb text, Armstrong interprets (32-35) the Plotinean passage as not reflexive and as signaling an abrupt change of subject: "Because by its return to it it sees, and this seeing is Intellect".
[11] See Aristotle, de caelo 285a32, 286b10, 286b18-25, 291b11.
[12] The entry follows, with some paraphrasing, Philoponus, op. cit., 56.26-57.8; cf. van der Eijk (74). The Suda abruptly concludes the entry. Philoponus, however, goes on (57.8-15) to explain that, whereas the craftsman offers only proximate causes, the natural philosopher will explain the primary causes and provide both the matter and the form pertinent to the causal account.
References:
R.D. Hicks, trans., Diogenes Laertius: Lives of Eminent Philosophers, vol. II, (Cambridge, MA, 2000)
M. Hayduck, ed., “Ioannis Philiponi in Aristotelis De Anima Libros Commentaria,” Commentaria in Aristotelem Graeca, vol. XV, (Berlin, 1897)
P.J. van der Eijk, trans., Philoponus On Aristotle’s On the Soul 1.1-2, (Ithaca, NY, 2005)
A.H. Armstrong, trans., Plotinus: Ennead V, (Cambridge, MA, 1984)
Associated internet address:
Web address 1
Keywords: definition; mathematics; medicine; philosophy; trade and manufacture
Translated by: Marcelo Boeri on 19 September 2000@03:30:32.
Vetted by:
David Whitehead (augmented n.1, with consequent adjustment to other notes; multiple cosmetics) on 26 January 2004@03:47:28.
Catharine Roth (added keyword) on 29 September 2005@02:18:30.
David Whitehead (more keywords) on 21 November 2005@06:47:23.
David Whitehead on 18 December 2013@08:35:06.
Catharine Roth (coding) on 1 February 2015@23:25:41.
Catharine Roth (cosmetics) on 8 April 2023@14:19:52.
Catharine Roth (tweaked translation) on 12 April 2023@19:32:38.
Catharine Roth (more tweaks) on 12 April 2023@23:33:43.
Ronald Allen (tweaked translation in consultation with Managing Editor Catharine Roth, added bibliography) on 30 April 2023@14:59:30.
Ronald Allen (further tweaked translation, added footnote) on 1 May 2023@13:19:10.
Ronald Allen (further tweaked translation, added another note) on 2 May 2023@19:03:29.
Ronald Allen (more translation tweaks, yet another note) on 4 May 2023@17:07:13.
Ronald Allen (more tweaks) on 4 May 2023@17:41:24.
Ronald Allen (augmented n.1, added to bibliography, added link) on 5 May 2023@12:56:54.
Ronald Allen (tweaked translation again) on 5 May 2023@16:49:14.
Ronald Allen (further translation tweaks, added another note) on 5 May 2023@17:25:09.
Ronald Allen (corrections and improvements suggested by Catharine Roth) on 8 May 2023@15:13:22.
Catharine Roth (tweaked translation) on 11 May 2023@18:34:59.
Ronald Allen (added note) on 14 May 2023@13:55:59.
Ronald Allen (expanded n.10, added to bibliography) on 14 May 2023@15:18:13.
Catharine Roth (cosmeticule) on 15 May 2023@00:38:11.

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