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Article: Aristotle and the metaphyics of evolution.
- Article from:
- The Review of Metaphysics
- Article date:
- September 1, 2004
- Author:
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Aristotle was nature's scribe, his pen dipped in mind. (1) Ancient Greek saying
Linnaeus and Cuvier have been my two gods, though in very different ways, but they were mere schoolboys to old Aristotle. (2)
Charles Darwin
I recall that in 1951 Harold Cherniss told me that Aristotle's biology was the key to his metaphysics; unfortunately I did not have the wit to interpret this Delphic utterance. (3)
J. L. Ackrill
DOES ARISTOTLE'S PHILOSOPHY rule out evolution? The short answer is "Yes, but ...!"; the long answer: "No, ... however!" Summarizing his excellent account of the reasoning which led Aristotle in book 7 of the ...