E-Book Overview
Aristotle's has been the most influential philosophy in the whole history of science. Monte Johnson examines its most controversial aspect: Aristotle's emphasis on the importance of goals and purposes to scientific understanding--his teleology. In some cases this policy has proved deeply flawed, for example in his earth-centric cosmology, or his anthropology purporting to justify slavery and male domination. But in many areas Aristotle's teleology has been successful, and remains influential, for example in adaptationist evolutionary theory, embryology, and genetics. Johnson's book shows also how Aristotle's theory has profound implications for environmental ethics and for the theory of value in general.
E-Book Content
ARISTOTLE ON TELEOLOGY
OXFORD ARISTOTLE STUDIES General Editors Julia Annas and Lindsay Judson published in the series Aristotle on Meaning and Essence David Charles Time for Aristotle Ursula Coope Aristotle on Teleology Monte Ransome Johnson On Location Aristotle’s Concept of Place Benjamin Morison Order in Multiplicity Homonymy in the Philosophy of Aristotle Christopher Shields Aristotle’s Theory of Substance The Categories and Metaphysics Zeta Michael V. Wedin Aristotle’s De Interpretatione Contradiction and Dialectic C. W. A. Whitaker
Aristotle on Teleology MONTE RANSOME JOHNSON
CL ARENDON PRESS
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OXFORD
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