Aristotle on μετὰ λόγου capacities and voluntary animal locomotion. Part one: the psychic arguments
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14195/1984-249X_35_24Keywords:
Aristotle, Voluntary, Locomotion, CapacitiesAbstract
According to the dominant interpretation of the distinction between capacities that are “without-λόγος” (ἄλογοι) and capacities that are “with-λόγος” (μετὰ λόγου, Metaph. 9.2 1046a34-b2), the latter would be unique to human beings. We can find four arguments in defense of that thesis in the secondary bibliography. This article begins to mount a defense of an alternative reading of Aristotle’s theory that deals with two of these arguments. It will be succeeded by a second article that will deal with the other two arguments and present a positive argument for the alternative reading that tries to make it seem plausible - although not unassailable - in light of its own merits. According to this alternative reading, it is with the framework provided by Aristotle to explain the functioning of bidirectional capacities that we must explain the functioning of the capacity responsible for producing voluntary locomotion in all animals.
Downloads
References
AQUINAS, S. T. (1961). Commentary on the Metaphysics of Aristotle, Vol. II Chicago, H. Regnery Company.
AQUINAS, S. T. (1999). Commentary on Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics Translated by C. I. Litzinger. Notre Dame, Dumb Ox.
ANGIONI, L. (trad.) (2004). Aristóteles. Metafísica, Livros IX e X São Paulo, IFCH/UNICAMP.
APOSTLE, H. G. (trad.) (1975). Aristotle. The Nicomachean Ethics London, Reidel.
BALME, D. M.; LENNOX, J. (trad.) (1991). Aristotle. History of Animals, Volume III: Books 7-10 London, Harvard University Press.
BEERE, J. (2009). Doing and Being an Interpretation of Aristotle’s Metaphysics Theta New York, Oxford University Press.
BLOCK, I. (1964). Three German Commentators on the Individual Senses and the Common Sense in Aristotle’s Psychology. Phronesis, 9, n. 1, p. 58-63.
BLOCK, I. (1988). Aristotle on the common sense: A reply to Kahn and others. Ancient Philosophy, 8, p. 235-249.
CHARLTON, W. (trad.) (2014). Philoponus. On Aristotle On the Soul 3.1-8 London, Bloomsbury.
CHARLES, D. (2020). Aristotle on the Perception of Objects. In: GUYOMARC’H, G.; LOUGUET, C.; MURGIER, C. (eds.). Aristote et l’âme Humaine. Lectures de “De Anima” III Offertes à Michel Crubellier Leuven, Peeters Publishers & Booksellers, p. 19-38.
CONNELL, S. M. (2021). Animal Cognition in Aristotle. In: CONNELL, S. M. (ed.). The Cambridge Companion to Aristotle’s Biology Oxford, Oxford University Press, p. 195-210.
CONNELL, S. M. (2024). Aristotle on Memory and Emotion in Human and Non-Human Animals. In: KAZANTZIDIS, G.; SPATHARAS, D. (eds.). Memory and Emotions in Antiquity Berlin; Boston, De Gruyter, p. 129-152.
CORCILIUS, K. (2011). Untitled. In: MILLER, J. (ed.). Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics: A Critical Guide Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, p. 117-143.
CORCILIUS, K. (2020). De Anima III 7: The Actuality Principle and the Triggering of Mental Episodes. In: GUYOMARC’H, G.; LOUGUET, C.; MURGIER, C. (eds.). Aristote et l’âme Humaine. Lectures de “De Anima” III Offertes à Michel Crubellier . Leuven, Peeters Publishers & Booksellers , p. 185-220.
CORCILIUS, K. (2022). The Gate to Reality: Aristotle’s Basic Account of Perception. In: COHOE, C. (ed.). Aristotle’s On the Soul Cambridge, Cambridge University Press , p. 122-154.
CORCILIUS, K.; GREGORIC, P. (2010). Separability Vs. Difference: Parts and Capacities of the Soul in Aristotle. Oxford Studies inAncient Philosophy , 39, p. 81-120.
CORCILIUS, K.; PERLER, D. (2014). Introduction. In: CORCILIUS, K.; PERLER, D. (eds.). Partitioning the Soul: Debates from Plato to Leibniz Berlin; Boston, De Gruyter , p. 1-14.
GREGORIC, P. (2007). Aristotle on the Common Sense Oxford, Oxford University Press .
HETT, W. S. (trad.) (1957). Aristotle. On the Soul; Parva Naturalia; On Breath London, Harvard University Press .
HICKS, R. D. (ed./trad.) (1907). Aristotle. De Anima Cambridge, Cambridge University Press .
JOHANSEN, T. K. (2012). The Powers of Aristotle’s Soul Oxford, Oxford University Press.
KAHN, C. H. (1966). Sensation and Consciousness in Aristotle’s Psychology. Archiv Für Geschichte Der Philosophie, 48, n. 1-3, p. 43-81.
KOSMAN, L. A. (1975). Perceiving That We Perceive: On the Soul III, 2. The Philosophical Review, 84, n. 4, p. 499-519.
LABARRIÈRE, J.-L. (1990). De La Phronèsis Animale. In: DEVEREUX, D.; PELLEGRIN, P. (eds.). Biologie, Logique et Métaphysique Chez Aristote Paris, CNRS.
LABARRIÈRE, J.-L. (2004). Langage, vie politique et mouvement des animaux: études aristotéliciennes Paris, Vrin.
LENNOX, J. (2015). Aristotle on the Biological Roots of Virtue: The Natural History of Natural Virtue. In: HENRY, D.; NIELSEN, K. M. (eds.). Bridging the Gap between Aristotle’s Science and Ethics Cambridge, Cambridge University Press , p. 193-213.
LENNOX, J. (1991). Notes. In: BALME, D. M.; LENNOX, J. (trad.). Aristotle. History of Animals , Volume III: Books 7-10 London, Harvard University Press.
LENNOX, J. G. (trad.) (2001). Aristotle. On the Parts of Animals New York, Oxford University Press .
LOUIS, P. (1969). Notes. In: LOUIS, P. (trad.). Aristote. Histoire des animaux Tome III: Livres VIII-X Paris, Les Belles Lettres.
MAKIN, S. (ed.) (2006). Aristotle. Metaphysics: Book Theta Oxford, Clarendon Press.
MOSS, J. (2014). Right Reason in Plato and Aristotle: On the Meaning of Phronesis Phronesis , 59, n. 3, p. 181-230.
MOVIA, G. (ed.) (2007). Alessandro di Afrodisia. Commentario alla "Metafisica" di Aristotele Milano, Bompiani.
NASCIMENTO, D. S. (2017). Desejo e cognição na teoria aristotélica dos movimentos voluntários de locomoção animal. Filosofia Unisinos, 18, n. 2, p. 70-78.
OWEN, G. E. L. (1984). Book Theta, Chapter II. In: BURNYEAT, M. (ed.). Notes on Books Eta and Theta of Aristotle’s Metaphysics Oxford, Sub-faculty of Philosophy, p. 52-58.
POLANSKY, R. M. (2007). Aristotle’s De Anima: A Critical Commentary Cambridge, Cambridge University Press .
PRIMAVESI, O.; MORISON, B. (trad.) (2020). Aristotle. De Motu Animalium. In: RAPP, C. (ed.). Aristotle’s De Motu Animalium: Symposium Aristotelicum Oxford, Oxford University Press.
RACKHAM, H. (trad.) (1926). Aristotle. The Nicomachean Ethics . London, Harvard University Press .
RACKHAM, H. (trad.) (1932). Aristotle. Politics London, Harvard University Press .
REEVE, C. D. C. (2017). Notes. In: REEVE, C. D. C. (trad.). Aristotle. De Anima . Indianapolis, Hackett, p. 67-198.
RODIER, G. (1900). Commentaire du Traité de l’âme Paris, J. Vrin.
SAINT-HILAIRE, J. B. (1879). Metaphysique d’Aristote, Vol. II. Livres IV-IX Paris, Librairie Germer-Baillière et Cie.
SCHEITER, K. M. (2012). Images, Appearances, and Phantasia in Aristotle. Phronesis , 57, n. 3, p. 251-278.
SCHNIEDERS, S. (2019a). Einleitung. In: SCHNIEDERS, S. (ed.). Aristotle. Historia Animalium Book VIII Und IX Berlin, De Gruyter, p. 97-244.
SCHNIEDERS, S. (2019b). Kommentar. In: SCHNIEDERS, S. (ed.). Aristotle. Historia Animalium . Book VIII Und IX Berlin, De Gruyter , p. 315-1090.
SHIELDS, C. J. (2016). Commentary. In: SHIELDS, C. J. (ed./trad.). Aristotle. De Anima . New York, Oxford University Press , p. 79-380.
SORABJI, R. (1993). Animal Minds and Human Morals: The Origins of the Western Debate New York, Cornell University Press.
STEEL, C. (trad.) (2014). Simplicius. On Aristotle On the Soul 3.6-13 London, Bloomsbury .
SUÁREZ, F. (2004). A Commentary on Aristotle’s Metaphysics Milwaukee, Marquette University Press.
THEMISTIUS. (1990). Themistius’ Paraphrase of Aristotle De Anima 3.4-8. In: SCHROEDER, F. M.; TODD, R. B. (trad.). Two Greek Aristotelian Commentators on the Intellect: The De Intellectu Attributed to Alexander of Aphrodisias, and Themistius’ Paraphrase of Aristotle De Anima, 3.4-8 Toronto, Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies.
TREDENNICK, H. (trad.) (2003). Aristotle. Metaphysics: Books 1-9 Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press.
WHITING, J. (2002). Locomotive Soul: The Parts of Soul in Aristotle’s Scientific Works. Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy , 22, p. 141-200.
WOODS, M. (ed./trad.) (1992). Aristotle. Eudemian Ethics, Books I, II, and VIII New York, Oxford University Press .
ZATTA, C. (2022). Aristotle and the Animals: The Zōē of Life Itself Abingdon, Routledge.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Daniel Simão Nascimento
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Given the public access policy of the journal, the use of the published texts is free, with the obligation of recognizing the original authorship and the first publication in this journal. The authors of the published contributions are entirely and exclusively responsible for their contents.
1. The authors authorize the publication of the article in this journal.
2. The authors guarantee that the contribution is original, and take full responsibility for its content in case of impugnation by third parties.
3. The authors guarantee that the contribution is not under evaluation in another journal.
4. The authors keep the copyright and convey to the journal the right of first publication, the work being licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License-BY.
5. The authors are allowed and stimulated to publicize and distribute their work on-line after the publication in the journal.
6. The authors of the approved works authorize the journal to distribute their content, after publication, for reproduction in content indexes, virtual libraries and similars.
7. The editors reserve the right to make adjustments to the text and to adequate the article to the editorial rules of the journal.
