The Priority of Locomotion in Aristotle's 'Physics'

This project investigated the priority of local motion in Aristotle.

Research

This project investigated the priority of local motion in Aristotle. Aristotle recognizes four distinct kinds of change, corresponding to four categories of being: substance, quality, quantity, and location. According to Aristotle, these four kinds of change are irreducibly distinct; none of them can be reduced to any other. In Physics VIII, he argues that local motion has priority over the other three kinds of change in different ways. This doctrine plays a crucial role in his argument for the eternity of change in the cosmos, an unmoved mover, and throws important light on the role of local motion, and hence space, in Aristotle’s physical theory in general.

The dissertation was successfully completed in 2012. The results have been published in 2014 with the title The Priority of Locomotion in Aristotle’s Physics, Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2014.