The Architecture of the Science of Living Beings: Aristotle and Theophrastus on Animals and Plants

Andrea Falcon

doi:10.1017/9781009426374

Scholars have paid ample attention to Aristotle's works on animals. By contrast, they have paid little or no attention to Theophrastus' writings on plants. That is unfortunate because there was a shared research project in the early Peripatos which amounted to a systematic, and theoretically motivated, study of perishable living beings (animals and plants). This is the first sustained attempt to explore how Aristotle and Theophrastus envisioned this study, with attention focused primarily on its deep structure. That entails giving full consideration to a few transitional passages where Aristotle and Theophrastus offer their own description of what they are trying to do. What emerges is a novel, sophisticated, and largely idiosyncratic approach to the topic of life. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

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Contents

The Architecture of the Science of Living Beings
pp i-ii
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The Architecture of the Science of Living Beings - Title page
pp iii-iii
Aristotle and Theophrastus on Animals and Plants
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Copyright page
pp iv-iv
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Dedication
pp v-vi
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Contents
pp vii-vii
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Tables
pp viii-viii
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Acknowledgments
pp ix-x
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Conventions
pp xi-xi
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Transliterations
pp xii-xii
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Abbreviations
pp xiii-xvi
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Introduction
pp 1-14
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Chapter 1 - Aristotle’s De anima and the Study of Perishable Living Beings
pp 15-45
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Chapter 2 - Aristotle’s Parva naturalia and the Study of Animals and Everything That Has Life
pp 46-76
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Chapter 3 - Pre-explanatory and Explanatory Strategies in Aristotle’s Study of Animals
pp 77-120
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Chapter 4 - The Transition from the Study of Animals to the Study of Plants (History of Plants I)
pp 121-151
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Chapter 5 - Theophrastus on the Generation of Plants (Causes of Plants I)
pp 152-186
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Chapter 6 - The Invention of Biology?
pp 187-208
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Appendices
pp 209-229
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Appendix I - Aristotle on Plants
pp 209-215
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Appendix II - Theophrastus on Animals
pp 216-220
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Appendix III - [Aristotle], On Plants
pp 221-229
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References
pp 230-246
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Index of Passages
pp 247-250
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General Index
pp 251-254
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The Architecture of the Science of Living Beings

Aristotle and Theophrastus on Animals and Plants

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Contents

The Architecture of the Science of Living Beings
pp i-ii

The Architecture of the Science of Living Beings - Title page
pp iii-iii

Copyright page
pp iv-iv

Dedication
pp v-vi

Contents
pp vii-vii

Tables
pp viii-viii

Acknowledgments
pp ix-x

Conventions
pp xi-xi

Transliterations
pp xii-xii

Abbreviations
pp xiii-xvi

Introduction
pp 1-14

Chapter 1 - Aristotle’s De anima and the Study of Perishable Living Beings
pp 15-45

Chapter 2 - Aristotle’s Parva naturalia and the Study of Animals and Everything That Has Life
pp 46-76

Chapter 3 - Pre-explanatory and Explanatory Strategies in Aristotle’s Study of Animals
pp 77-120

Chapter 4 - The Transition from the Study of Animals to the Study of Plants (History of Plants I)
pp 121-151

Chapter 5 - Theophrastus on the Generation of Plants (Causes of Plants I)
pp 152-186

Chapter 6 - The Invention of Biology?
pp 187-208

Appendices
pp 209-229

Appendix I - Aristotle on Plants
pp 209-215

Appendix II - Theophrastus on Animals
pp 216-220

Appendix III - [Aristotle], On Plants
pp 221-229

References
pp 230-246

Index of Passages
pp 247-250

General Index
pp 251-254

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The Architecture of the Science of Living Beings

Aristotle and Theophrastus on Animals and Plants

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