Bitte beachten Sie den geänderten Termin.
How do natural things differ from artifacts? Do natural processes have a purpose? Do all of them have a purpose, or do some of them simply happen, as it were, blindly?
In Book II of the Physics, Aristotle presents a systematic reflection on causes. He tries to decide whether what are thought to be causes – nature, craft, chance, spontaneity, and necessity – are rightly thought to be so, how exactly each should be understood, and whether or to what extent each operates in the natural world. In doing so, Aristotle defends a teleological understanding of the natural world against sceptics thereof.
Through a close reading of this text, we will try to gain a better grasp of themes in Aristotle that have been extremely influential in the history of philosophy, including his theory of causes, his notion of nature, and his teleology. We will also try to understand how Aristotle engages with rival views on these matters by drawing connections to his predecessors such as Plato and early Greek philosophers.
This seminar will primarily be in English, but contributions in German are also welcome. Some familiarity with ancient Greek philosophy and/or the ancient Greek language is desired but not required.
Die Veranstaltung wurde 24 mal im Vorlesungsverzeichnis WiSe 2025/26 gefunden:
