Dividing an Apple
-
Gweltaz Guyomarc’h
Abstract
The nutritive soul provides a relevant test case to examine Alexander of Aphrodisias’ conception of the parts of the soul, since it appears in Alexander’s De anima along with methodological considerations, especially an analogy with the division of an apple. I examine here the unity of the powers of the soul, focusing especially on the case of the vegetative soul. If the division of soul parts and soul powers is neither local, nor numerical, what is it? I put forward three correlated hypotheses: 1) Even if there is no lexical distinction in Alexander between “powers of the soul” and “parts of the soul”, Alexander nonetheless comes up with criteria which distinguish a soul power from a soul part, or from a soul of its own. The difference between his position and Aristotle’s is found chiefly in Alexander’s effort to clarify these criteria. 2) As will become clear in the case of the vegetative soul, even the powers that do constitute a soul or a soul part (vegetative/animal/human) are objectively distinct (in a sense that remains to be clarified) and are not simply the result of a change in perspective. 3) The main criterion by which one can account for the organization and the unification of soul parts is the teleological criterion.
Abstract
The nutritive soul provides a relevant test case to examine Alexander of Aphrodisias’ conception of the parts of the soul, since it appears in Alexander’s De anima along with methodological considerations, especially an analogy with the division of an apple. I examine here the unity of the powers of the soul, focusing especially on the case of the vegetative soul. If the division of soul parts and soul powers is neither local, nor numerical, what is it? I put forward three correlated hypotheses: 1) Even if there is no lexical distinction in Alexander between “powers of the soul” and “parts of the soul”, Alexander nonetheless comes up with criteria which distinguish a soul power from a soul part, or from a soul of its own. The difference between his position and Aristotle’s is found chiefly in Alexander’s effort to clarify these criteria. 2) As will become clear in the case of the vegetative soul, even the powers that do constitute a soul or a soul part (vegetative/animal/human) are objectively distinct (in a sense that remains to be clarified) and are not simply the result of a change in perspective. 3) The main criterion by which one can account for the organization and the unification of soul parts is the teleological criterion.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- 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
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- 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
