I diversi approci metodologici nell'opera fisica di Aristotele

Abstract

In this article we present an outline of Aristotle's method in his physical and biological works, pointing out the ductile method, typical of Aristotle, and the variety of interpretation schemes of the reality, implied by this method. This an important approach in the context of a science, like physics, which offers a very wide range of applications and is defined by Aristotle as the science of «what happens always or in most cases» (ἀeὶ ἢ ὡς ἐπὶ τo πoλυ; Physics, B, 8, 198 b 35). The argumentation is organized as follows: 1. the definition of Aristotle's concept of physis and natural science; 2. the outline of physikos' research field, defined as who looks after the form joined to the matter; 3. the gnoseological procedure of multiplying the explanatory schemes of reality, in order to understand it in all of its complexity; 4. the interpretation of this gnoseological approach as the underlying explanation of the methodological variety which characterize Aristotle's work; 5. the characterization of the method (or methods) to be applied to the natural science: in fact, in Aristotle's physical work it's possible to recognize both the presence and the collaboration of two constant movements, that respond to different goals: 5.1. the analysis of the predecessors' endoxa, field where Aristotle works in a dialectic way; 5.2. the procedure that goes from καθoλoυ) to καθ'ἕκαστα in more articulations that outline, in different contexts, as an inductive method as a deductive method.