Aristotle’s Biology and

Metaphysics
Vuk Subotic
What is Metaphysics?

 First major work on the branch of philosophy

 Study of existence - beings qua beings

 Metaphysics is essentially the reunion with Plato's theory of forms: "form is a

primary substance, and form is predicated of matter“ (Carl Page, 58)

 Beings can be divided into different mutually exclusive categories which

are: substance, quality, quantity, and relation
Aristotle’s Biology (Zoology)

 Very passionate about biology: , "The living creatures are right at hand, and
. . .of them we may gain ample and certain knowledge if we so desire"
(Coonen, 733)

 Astonishing work on animal classification in his time

 He classified more than 500 species of birds, mammals and fishes

Influence of Aristotle’s Biology

 Major discoveries in anatomy as well as reproduction, metabolism,

fertilization, sex determination

 Aristotle's work on anatomy was very influential on Hellenistic medicine

 He used to dissect and observe different species of animals such as fox,

wolf, marten, weasel, baboon, ape, monkey, chameleon, lizard, tortoise,
toad, and turtle, as well as birds and fishes
Relation to science and scientific
method
 " We must not accept a general principle from logic alone, but must prove its
application to each fact, for it is in facts that we must seek general principles,
and these must always accord with facts" (Coonen, 733)

 Although. metaphysics and biology are very different from each other, Aristotle
had pretty much the same scientific approach

 He is not only taking logical conclusions, but is also proving them and applying
to each fact, very similar to today’s standards of scientific research

 Despite his lack of laboratory equipment, his primitive transportation, his

inefficient types of communication, the immensity and diversity of his interests,
and the poverty of his bibliography, his contributions to biology are
quantitatively and qualitatively overwhelming
Legacy

 The fact that the world's oldest universities, such as Bologna, Paris, and
Oxford, based their teachings and couched their very raison d'etre on the
works of Aristotle says vehemently that he was the standard (Lester P.
Coonen, 734).

 The oft-repeated approbations that Aristotle is the "father of natural history"

and the "greatest biologist of antiquity" are inadequate praise

 "In biology Aristotle made his contribution to science. It has been called the
greatest contribution to science ever made by an individual." (Lester P.
Coonen, 738).
Sources

 Aristotle, Metaphysics, Joe Sachs (trans.), Green Lion Press, 1999

 Cohen, S. Marc. "Aristotle's Metaphysics." Stanford Encyclopedia of

Philosophy. Stanford University, 08Oct. 2000. Web. 31 Jan. 2017.
 Lennox, James. "Aristotle's Biology." Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Stanford University, 15 Feb.2006. Web. 31 Jan. 2017.
 Lester P. Coonen, “Aristotle's Biology,” BioScience , Vol. 27, No. 11 (Nov.,
1977), pp. 733-738
 Page, Carl. “Predicating Forms of Matter in Aristotle's ‘Metaphysics.’” The
Review of Metaphysics, vol. 39, no. 1, 1985, pp. 57–82.,
www.jstor.org/stable/20128280