Book contents
- Aristotle’s Ontology of Artefacts
- Aristotle’s Ontology of Artefacts
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 The Platonic Heritage
- Chapter 2 Using Artefacts against Plato
- Chapter 3 Aristotle’s Building Blocks in the Physics
- Chapter 4 Artefacts as Hylomorphic Compounds
- Chapter 5 Forms of Artefacts as Inert and Intermittent
- Chapter 6 The Relation between Matter and Form in Artefacts
- Chapter 7 The Relation Between Parts and Whole in Artefacts
- Chapter 8 The Physics and Metaphysics of Artefacts
- Conclusions
- Bibliography
- Index Locorum
- Subject Index
Chapter 3 - Aristotle’s Building Blocks in the Physics
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 December 2023
- Aristotle’s Ontology of Artefacts
- Aristotle’s Ontology of Artefacts
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 The Platonic Heritage
- Chapter 2 Using Artefacts against Plato
- Chapter 3 Aristotle’s Building Blocks in the Physics
- Chapter 4 Artefacts as Hylomorphic Compounds
- Chapter 5 Forms of Artefacts as Inert and Intermittent
- Chapter 6 The Relation between Matter and Form in Artefacts
- Chapter 7 The Relation Between Parts and Whole in Artefacts
- Chapter 8 The Physics and Metaphysics of Artefacts
- Conclusions
- Bibliography
- Index Locorum
- Subject Index
Summary
The Physics constitutes a fruitful starting point for our study of Aristotle’s metaphysics of artefacts. This chapter shows that we can glean from Aristotle’s Physics an account of artefacts that is not only compatible with, but also directly related to the account offered in the Metaphysics. This account chiefly consists of: (1) the art analogy and (2) the fundamental distinction between artefacts and natural beings. Another Aristotelian conceptual tool I discuss in this chapter and is provided by the Physics is the distinction between ‘artificially caused’ and ‘artefact’. This survey will accomplish two tasks: it will present typical artefacts (i.e. generally accepted members of artificial kinds that are brought about by art) and it will open space for the conceptual possibility that art might be able to bring about things that are not artefacts proper. By identifying the building blocks presented in the Physics and presupposed in the Metaphysics, this chapter also lays the foundations for the remainder of the book.
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- Aristotle's Ontology of Artefacts , pp. 75 - 108Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2023