Primary Substances and Their Homonyms in Aristotle’s Teleology

Main Article Content

Mikolaj Domaradzki

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to reconstruct Aristotle’s distinction between primary substances and their homonyms. It is shown that the Stagirite regards both body parts and artefacts as mere homonyms of primary substances when they are no longer capable of performing their function (ergon) and actualizing their end (telos). In the course of the present discussion, Aristotle’s approach is confronted with his famous doctrine of the four causes, whilst an analysis of the examples given by the Stagirite serves the purpose of determining the ontic status of homonyms. Subsequently, this paper argues that Aristotle’s hylomorphism not only defies the functionalist assumption of the irrelevance of matter but also precludes the possibility of equating artefacts with living organisms. The discussion concludes with an observation that primary substances which are truly (alēthōs) and things which are only homonymously (plēn homōnymōs) require different definitions.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Article Details

How to Cite
Domaradzki, Mikolaj. 2018. “Primary Substances and Their Homonyms in Aristotle’s Teleology”. Diametros 58 (58):2-17. https://doi.org/10.13153/diam.1281.
Section
Articles
Author Biography

Mikolaj Domaradzki, Institute of Philosophy, Adam Mickiewicz University

Mikolaj Domaradzki, prof.Institute of PhilosophyAdam Mickiewicz UniversitySzamarzewskiego 89CPl-60-568 PoznanE-mail: mikdom@amu.edu.pl

Mikolaj Domaradzki – is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Philosophy at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan. He is the author of the book Ancient Philosophy and the Problem of Interpretation. The Development of Allegoresis from the Presocratics to Aristotle (Poznan 2013), as well as a number of articles on the history of ancient philosophy (among others in Ancient PhilosophyClassical World, Kernos, Elenchos, Eos) and translations (from Ancient Greek and Danish). He is the co-founder and Editor of the journal Peitho. Examina antiqua.

Share |

References

Ackrill J.L. (1997), Aristotle’s Definitions of Psuchē, [w:] Essays on Plato and Aristotle, J.L. Ackrill (red.), Clarendon Press, Oxford: 163–178.
Arystoteles (1992a), O duszy, tłum. P. Siwek, [w:] idem, Dzieła wszystkie, t. 3, PWN, Warszawa.
Arystoteles (1992b), O częściach zwierząt, tłum. P. Siwek, [w:] idem, Dzieła wszystkie, t. 3, PWN, Warszawa.
Berkowitz L., Squitier K.A. (1990) Thesaurus Linguae Graecae: Canon of Greek Authors and Works, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Berti E. (1979), Profilo di Aristotele, Edizioni Studium, Roma.
Burnyeat M.F. (1992), Is an Aristotelian Philosophy of Mind Still Credible? (A Draft), [w:] Essays on Aristotle’s De Anima, M.C. Nussbaum, A.O. Rorty (red.), Clarendon Press, Oxford: 15–26.
Cassirer E. (1994), Substanzbegriff und Funktionsbegriff. Untersuchungen über die Grundfragen der Erkenntniskritik, Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, Darmstadt.
Cohen S.M. (1992), Hylomorphism and Functionalism, [w:] Essays on Aristotle’s De Anima, M.C. Nussbaum, A.O. Rorty (red.), Clarendon Press, Oxford: 57–73.
Domaradzki M. (2013), Filozofia antyczna wobec problemu interpretacji. Rozwój alegorezy od przedsokratyków do Arystotelesa, Wydawnictwo Naukowe Instytutu Filozofii UAM, Poznań.
Domaradzki M. (2016a), Arystotelesowskie ujęcie homonimii, „Diametros” 50: 1–24.
Domaradzki M. (2016b), Wieloznaczność orzekania w Topikach 1.15, „Peitho. Examina antiqua” 7: 69–85.
Hammer-Jensen I. (1915), Das sogenannte IV. Buch der Meteorologie des Aristoteles, „Hermes” 50 (1): 113–136.
Hintikka K.J. (1973), Aristotle and the Ambiguity of Ambiguity, [w:] Time and Necessity: Studies in Aristotle’s Theory of Modality, K.J. Hintikka (red.), Clarendon Press, Oxford: 1–26.
Irwin T.H. (1981), Homonymy in Aristotle, „The Review of Metaphysics” 34 (3): 523–544.
Fortenbaugh W.W. (1975), Aristotle’s Analysis of Friendship: Function and Analogy, Resemblance and Focal Meaning, „Phronesis” 20 (1): 51–62.
Jaeger W. (1923), Aristoteles: Grundlegung einer Geschichte seiner Entwicklung, Weidmann, Berlin.
Miller F.D. (1995), Nature, Justice and Rights in Aristotle’s Politics, Clarendon Press, Oxford.
Nussbaum M.C. (1978), Aristotle on Teleological Explanation, [w:] Aristotle’s De Motu Animalium. Text with Translation, Commentary, and Interpretive Essays, M.C. Nussbaum (red.), Princeton University Press, Princeton: 59–106.
Nussbaum M.C., Putnam H. (1992), Changing Aristotle’s Mind, [w:] Essays on Aristotle’s De Anima, M.C. Nussbaum, A.O. Rorty (red.), Clarendon Press, Oxford: 27–56.
Polansky R. (2007), Aristotle’s De anima, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Putnam H. (1975), Philosophy and Our Mental Life, [w:] Mind, Language and Reality. Philosophical Papers, vol. 2, H. Putnam (red.), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge: 291–303.
Rapp C. (1992), Ähnlichkeit, Analogie und Homonymie bei Aristoteles, „Zeitschrift für philosophische Forschung” 46 (4): 526–544.
Robinson H.M. (1978), Mind and Body in Aristotle, „Classical Quarterly” 28 (1): 105–124.
Shields C. (1990), The First Functionalist, [w:] Historical Foundations of Cognitive Science, J.C. Smith (red.), Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht: 19–33.
Shields C. (1999), Order in Multiplicity: Homonymy in the Philosophy of Aristotle, Clarendon Press, Oxford.
Ward J.K. (2008), Aristotle on Homonymy: Dialectic and Science, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Wilkes K.V. (1978), Physicalism, Routledge, London.