Aristotle Complete Works (Volume 3)

Author: Miao Litian, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1997-01-01
Features: The common view holds that Aristotle often explored the origins of the universe based on unfounded assumptions. This fact is closely related to the tendency to confine Aristotle's thought solely to Metaphysics and Physics. However, throughout many of his works on natural philosophy, Aristotle's writings are deeply rooted in practical scientific perspectives, as exemplified by Volume III of the Complete Works of Aristotle. Volume III includes ten essays by Aristotle on natural philosophy, focusing on the essence and phenomena of life. Except for On the Breath, which is a pseudonymous work, all others are by Aristotle. Categorized by topic, they fall into three groups. On the Soul, On Sensation and Its Objects, and On Memory explore the nature, functions, and life-giving abilities shared by the soul and the body. On Sleep, On Dreams, and On Sleep's Omens form an internally connected trilogy. On the Length of Life, On Youth and Old Age, On Life and Death, and On the Breath delve into physiological topics, discussing how life is maintained within organisms and the causes of death. Despite the obvious flaws and errors in these essays, it is astonishing that he made many predictions strikingly similar to scientific facts under extremely limited observational conditions. Although On the Breath is a pseudonymous work, due to the author's familiarity with many of Aristotle's views, it remains a useful source for studying Aristotle's thought.