Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2015
DOI
10.1515/apeiron-2014-0045
Publication Title
Apeiron
Volume
48
Issue
3
Pages
285-326
Abstract
Most scholars of Aristotle’s biology have accepted the view of D. M. Balme and Pierre Pellegrin that the History of Animals is devoid of any systematic classification of animals. I challenge this reading. I show that Aristotle can produce a taxonomy of animals kinds that are found in the essences of atomic species, or, to borrow from Plato, divide nature by the joints. I start from Aristotle’s positive views of division stated in APo. II.13–14 and how they imply a taxonomic order of a genus. I then develop my interpretation of how Aristotle can divide nature by the joints in respect to his criticisms of division in APr. I.31 paired with the methodology developed in APr. I.27–30. I conclude by illustrating that Aristotle employs this methodology to divide the genus animal by its joints in the History of Animals and how he seeks out the taxonomic order of the genus animal in that work.
Original Publication Citation
Wiener, C. (2015). Dividing nature by the joints. Apeiron, 48(3), 285-326. https://doi.org/10.1515/apeiron-2014-0045
Repository Citation
Wiener, Chad, "Dividing Nature by the Joints" (2015). Philosophy Faculty Publications. 92.
https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/philosophy_fac_pubs/92
Comments
The final publication is available at www.degruyter.com.
© 2015 Walter de Gruyter GmbH.