The Female Contribution to Generation and Nutritive Soul in Aristotle’s Embryology
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Sophia M. Connell
Abstract
In de Generatione Animalium (GA) Aristotle argues that both parents contribute to generation through differentiated products of the nutritive process, governed by nutritive soul. This appears to agree in general with the fact that the nutritive soul is the same thing as the generative soul, as set out in de Anima. This essay analyses the contribution of the female animal to generation as a nutritive residue and the result of her nutritive functioning. The female contribution to generation is made useful by its location and latent potentials: it ends up in the uterus ready to become all the parts of the new animal’s body, once its own nutritive soul becomes actualised. After giving a comprehensive overview of the content of the female contribution as residue of nutrition, the last part of the essay articulates a challenge that this presents for Aristotle’s account of nutritive soul. Since the female is unable to generate without the addition of the male generative residue, it would seem that her nutritive soul is defective, lacking the generative capacity that males possess. Articulating this problem requires a closer analysis of the connection between nutrition and generation in Aristotle philosophy. The essay finally concludes that because the female animal’s soul attempts to perpetuate an animal the same in form into the next generation this is enough to render it generative as well as nutritive.
Abstract
In de Generatione Animalium (GA) Aristotle argues that both parents contribute to generation through differentiated products of the nutritive process, governed by nutritive soul. This appears to agree in general with the fact that the nutritive soul is the same thing as the generative soul, as set out in de Anima. This essay analyses the contribution of the female animal to generation as a nutritive residue and the result of her nutritive functioning. The female contribution to generation is made useful by its location and latent potentials: it ends up in the uterus ready to become all the parts of the new animal’s body, once its own nutritive soul becomes actualised. After giving a comprehensive overview of the content of the female contribution as residue of nutrition, the last part of the essay articulates a challenge that this presents for Aristotle’s account of nutritive soul. Since the female is unable to generate without the addition of the male generative residue, it would seem that her nutritive soul is defective, lacking the generative capacity that males possess. Articulating this problem requires a closer analysis of the connection between nutrition and generation in Aristotle philosophy. The essay finally concludes that because the female animal’s soul attempts to perpetuate an animal the same in form into the next generation this is enough to render it generative as well as nutritive.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Table of Contents V
- Abbreviations VII
- Introduction IX
-
Aristotle
- ‘Most Natural Among the Functions of Living Things’ 1
- Method and Nutritive Soul in Aristotle’s De Anima II,4 21
- Nutrition and Hylomorphism in Aristotle 43
- The Female Contribution to Generation and Nutritive Soul in Aristotle’s Embryology 63
- Why do not Animals Grow on Without End? 85
- Looking for the Formative Power in Aristotle’s Nutritive Soul 101
- Aristotle and his Medical Precursors on Digestion and Nutrition 127
- Aristotle on the Role of Heat in Plant Life 153
-
Aristotelianism
- Reading and Sleep in Pseudo-Aristotle, Problemata XVIII,7 173
- Dividing an Apple 197
- Is Nutrition a Sufficient Condition for Life? 221
- Digestive Problems 259
- Magnetism and Nutrition 285
- From Food to Elements and Humors 319
- Standstill or Death 339
- Antonio Ponce de Santacruz on Nutrition and the Question of Emergence 355
- Index locorum 379
- Index rerum 405
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Table of Contents V
- Abbreviations VII
- Introduction IX
-
Aristotle
- ‘Most Natural Among the Functions of Living Things’ 1
- Method and Nutritive Soul in Aristotle’s De Anima II,4 21
- Nutrition and Hylomorphism in Aristotle 43
- The Female Contribution to Generation and Nutritive Soul in Aristotle’s Embryology 63
- Why do not Animals Grow on Without End? 85
- Looking for the Formative Power in Aristotle’s Nutritive Soul 101
- Aristotle and his Medical Precursors on Digestion and Nutrition 127
- Aristotle on the Role of Heat in Plant Life 153
-
Aristotelianism
- Reading and Sleep in Pseudo-Aristotle, Problemata XVIII,7 173
- Dividing an Apple 197
- Is Nutrition a Sufficient Condition for Life? 221
- Digestive Problems 259
- Magnetism and Nutrition 285
- From Food to Elements and Humors 319
- Standstill or Death 339
- Antonio Ponce de Santacruz on Nutrition and the Question of Emergence 355
- Index locorum 379
- Index rerum 405
