The Mechanization of Nature: Matter, Body, and Motion in Blasius of Parma's Physics

Erscheinungsjahr 2025
ISBN: 978-90-04-73427-2
Verlag: Brill

Buch, Englisch, Band 140, 314 Seiten, Format (B × H): 155 mm x 235 mm, Gewicht: 626 g

Reihe: Studien und Texte zur Geistesgeschichte des Mittelalters

This book presents a groundbreaking study of the Italian philosopher and scientist, Blasius of Parma (1350-1416). For the first time in English, it presents key elements of his commentary on Aristotle’s Physics both through interpretive analysis and edited texts.

The main interpretive claim is that Blasius is an early mechanical philosopher. It shows this by studying six carefully selected aspects of his physics. These six aspects are Blasius’ (1) use of mechanics (science of weights), (2) analysis of causality, (3) account of motion, (4) analysis of rarefaction and condensation, (5) view of artifacts, and (6) the use of a new analytical language in physics.

Authors of the interpretive essays are Erik Åkerlund, Joël Biard, Henrik Lagerlund, and Sylvain Roudaut.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Lagerlund, Henrik

Roudaut, Sylvain

Åkerlund, Erik

Andrews, Robert

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Geschichtswissenschaft Allgemein
• Geisteswissenschaften Philosophie Geschichte der Westlichen Philosophie Mittelalterliche & Scholastische Philosophie
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Alte Geschichte & Archäologie Vor- und Frühgeschichte, prähistorische Archäologie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

List of Figures

Preface

Introduction

Interpretive Essays

1 Scales and Weights: Introducing Mechanics in Natural Philosophy Sylvain Roudaut

2 Causality and Causal Powers in Blasius of Parma’s Physics Joël Biard

3 Blasius of Parma on Motion in the Sublunary World Henrik Lagerlund, Sylvain Roudaut and Erik Åkerlund

4 Condensation and Rarefaction in Blasius’ Physics Erik Åkerlund

5 Blasius of Parma’s Account of Artifacts in the Physics Henrik Lagerlund

6 The Role and Scope of Analytical Languages in Blasius’ Natural Philosophy Sylvain Roudaut

Edition: Blasius Pelacanus de Parma Quaestiones super VIII libros Physicorum

Description of the Manuscripts Robert Andrews

1 Liber II q. 1: Utrum domificator in faciendo domum faciat aliquid rebus naturalibus condistinctum

2 Liber II q. 2: Utrum quodlibet res naturalis habeat in se principium motus et quietis

3 Liber II q. 7 Utrum ad cuiuscumque rei naturalis generationem praeter particulare agens requiratur influxus causae universalis, quae causa universalis dicitur sol

4 Liber II q. 8 Utrum inter agentia particularia, supposita semper generali influentia superiorum, possit qualitas una vel plures formam substantialem producere

5 Liber IV q. 2 Utrum entia naturalia distantia ab eorum locis naturalibus moveantur ad illa impedimentis subtractis

6 Liber IV q. 3 Utrum corpora naturalia appetant moveri ad eorum loca naturalia per lineas breviores

7 Liber IV q. 7 Utrum rarefactio sit possibilis

8 Liber V, q. 1 Utrum agens naturale, hora qua agit in passum, agat in ipsum secundum se totum et quamlibet eius partem

Bibliography

Index

Über Autor(innen)

Henrik Lagerlund, Ph.D. (1999), Uppsala University, is Professor of the History of Philosophy at Stockholm University. He has published several books and articles on Medieval and Renaissance philosophy, including Interpreting Buridan: Critical Essays (2024) and Skepticism in Philosophy: A Comprehensive, Historical Introduction (2020).

Sylvain Roudaut, Ph.D. (2017), University of Rennes, is Senior Researcher at the CNRS (SPHERE, Paris). His research focuses on the interaction between philosophy, science, and mathematics in the Latin and Arabic traditions in the Middle Ages. He published La mesure de l’être (2021) and Hylomorphism into Pieces: Elements, Atoms, and Corpuscles in Natural Philosophy and Medicine, 1400–1600 (2024).

Erik Åkerlund, Ph.D. (2011), Uppsala University, is Lecturer in Philosophy at The Newman Institute, Uppsala (Sweden). He has a research focus on 15th to 17th century philosophy, especially natural philosophy but also extending to political philosophy. His articles include “Chrysostom Javellus and Francis Silvestri on Final Causation” (2024) and “Models of Finality: Aristotle, Buridan, and Averroes” (2023).

Robert Andrews, Ph.D. (1988), Cornell University, was Associate Professor at The Franciscan Institute of St. Bonaventure University and is now associate of the Centre for Medieval Studies, Stockholm University. Published volumes include Robert Greystones on Certainty and Skepticism with Mark Henninger and Jennifer Ottman (2020) and several co-edited volumes of B. Ioannis Duns Scoti Opera philosophica (1997-2004).