Aristotle in late antiquity

Abstract

Investigations of the philosophy of late antiquity have frequently concentrated on Platonism. This collection of essays seeks instead to reveal the tremendous authority that wielded for many centuries after his death; ultimately arguing that much thought which has been previously designated as Neoplatonic, is more properly Aristotelian. Consisting of nine studies, this work presents a series of insights on Aristotle's influence, from Plotinus through to Arabic thought. The first two articles consider the connection between and Plotinus. Lloyd P. Gerson shows how Plotinus develops much of his metaphysics in conscious opposition to that offered by Aristotle. Steven K. Strange provides a detailed analysis of the arguments of Ennead 3.7, in which Plotinus surveys classical texts on the nature of time, including Aristotle's Physics. The second section involves Aristotle's influence on philosophers of the late Greek era. R.J. Hankinson examines Galen's seminal work in the logic of relations, and presents a full analysis of Galen's intricate account of relational logic, found in several of his treatises. Arthur Madigan considers the greatest of Aristotle's ancient commentators, Alexander of Aphrodisias. Madigan investigates the sixth, seventh and eighth aporiae of Alexander's Metaphysics B, which concern species and genera. In order to elucidate the relationship between the process of discovering a thesis and its subsequent demonstration, Lawrence P. Schrenk examines the four dialectical methods offered by the Greek commentators on Aristotle: division; definition; demonstration; and analysis. The final section looks at Aristotelian thought within the Byzantine and Islamic cultures. Leo J. Elders presents a comprehensive survey of Aristotle's influence on Greek Christian authors, beginning with a survey of Aristotelian studies in the first four centuries AD, and proceeding to trace his influence through the Christian apologists, theologians and historians. Ian Mueller follows Aristotelian themes in Hippolytus's criticisms: homonymy; self-thinking thought; genus and species; soul; and cosmology. He concludes that the Aristotle of Hippolytus and Basilides was only a corrupted version of the classical Aristotle; while Photius is best known for his role in ecclesiastical history. John P. Anton explores Photius's philosophical adaptation of the Aristotelian account of substance, and demonstrates how Photius reinterprets Aristotelian thought along Christian Neoplatonic lines in order to be consistent with revealed theology. Lastly, Therese-Anne Druart makes the transition from Greek to Arabic philosophy in her discussion of Ibn Rushd, or Averroes, providing a valuable overview of Averroes as Aristotelian commentator.