Aristotle, On the Life-Bearing Spirit, De Spiritu
Subtitle: A Discussion With Plato and His Predecessors on Pneuma As the Instrumental Body of the Soul
Publisher: Brill
Published: January 15, 2008
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 208
ISBN-13: 9789004164581
Subjects: History of ideas, intellectual history; Medieval; History; History - General History; History: World
Description: "In contrast to what is often thought, the work De spiritu is entirely Aristotelian. It provides an indispensable part of Aristotle's philosophy of living nature. In this work he is the first Greek to argue that the most fundamental vital principle is not breath but vital heart. This vital heart forms a unity with the soul, as its instrumental body (soma organikon). The treatise is mainly a debate with Plato's Timaeus." "This new book consists of an introduction, a Translation, and an extensive Commentary on the text of De spiritu." "The main value of this book is to show convincingly that Aristotle's theory of soul and biology have been misconstrued since 200 AD due to the intervention of Alexander of Aphrodisias."--Jacket.