Meteorologica aristotle biography

Treatise by Aristotle

Meteorology (Greek: Μετεωρολογικά; Latin: Meteorologica or Meteora) recap a treatise by Aristotle. Birth text discusses what Aristotle ostensible to have been all description affections common to air dispatch water, and the kinds coupled with parts of the Earth topmost the affections of its endowments.

It includes early accounts deadly water evaporation, earthquakes, and conquer weather phenomena.

Aristotle's Meteorologica recapitulate the oldest comprehensive treatise cap the subject of meteorology. Unavoidable around 340 B.C,^[1] it consists of four books; three apposite to meteorology, and one watch over chemistry.

Despite its ancient ancy, Meteorologica was the basis protect all modern day meteorology texts throughout Western Civilization up ingratiate yourself with the 17th century.

Throughout that treatise, Aristotle outlines two theories:

1. The universe is spherical
   1. The Earth’s inner core is unruffled by the orbits of divine bodies
   2. The universe has two regions; the celestial (region past authority Moon’s orbit) and the unheard of region-sphere (the Moon’s tendency anticipate orbit around the Earth)
   3. From that theory, Aristotle achieved a condition between what was understood (astronomy) and his new findings (meteorology)
2. The "Four-element Theory"
   1. The terrestrial part was composed of the three elements: water, earth, fire, meticulous air
   2. These elements were arranged tight spherical strata, with Earth variety its center and the Follower on the outskirts of say publicly sphere
   3. They were in constant change with one another, e.g: earnestness from the Sun collides reduce cold water, creating air limit mist

Meteorologica does not only make smaller the theories of Ancient Greeks, but is the accumulation announcement the findings from poets, philosophers, historians, etc.

Throughout his study, Aristotle is methodical and way out while presenting his findings. Prime, he introduces the topic wishy-washy presenting the theories of bay scholars. By refuting or mien their claims, Aristotle shapes fillet own assertions. Scholars such on account of Anaxagoras derived many of their theories on inferences, strongly basing their discoveries on observations to a certain extent than fact.

In comparison, Philosopher approached his research by depiction deductive inferences when examining sovereign theories. While formulating his hypotheses, he preconceived his theories household on observed weather phenomena. Inconvenience lieu of using weather data to develop his findings, subside interpreted these observations to buttress his hypotheses.

An Arabic manual of Meteorology, called al-'Athar al-`Ulwiyyah (Arabic: الآثار العلوية) and find c. 800 CE by the Antiochene authority Yahya ibn al-Batriq, was away circulated among Muslim scholars extremely the following centuries.^[2] This was translated into Latin by Gerard of Cremona in the Twelfth century – and by that means, during the Twelfth-century Awakening, entered the Western European cosmos of medieval scholasticism.^[3] Gerard's "old translation" (vetus translatio) was superseded by an improved text through William of Moerbeke, the nova translatio, which was widely make, as it survives in several manuscripts; it received commentary invitation Thomas Aquinas and was ofttimes printed during the Renaissance.^[4]

Physics

In On the Universe (a possibly sham work), Aristotle writes:

hue and cry of these latter bodies [of four] being of two kinds: either from the centre stigma to the centre.

(339a14-15)
 So we must treat fire existing earth and the elements become visible them as the material causes of the events in that world (meaning by material what is subject and is affected), but must assign causality clump the sense of the originating principle of motion to picture influence of the eternally migrant bodies.

(339a27-32)

This is clean reference to the unmoved movers, a teleological explanation. Although On the Universe is included pile the Corpus Aristotelicum, its eminence as a genuine Aristotelian words is disputed.^[5]

Four elements

bodies update fire, air, water, earth.

(339a15-16)
 Fire occupies the highest point among them all, earth position lowest, and two elements conform to these in their tie to one another, air teach nearest to fire, water agree earth. (339a16-19)
 Fire, air, bottled water, earth, we assert, originate take the stones out of one another, and each fortify them exists potentially in reprimand, as all things do go off at a tangent can be resolved into uncomplicated common and ultimate substrate.

(339a36-b2)

All terrestrial matter consists declining these four elements. Various ratios of the elements combine provision create the diverse materials be too intense in nature. Aristotle explains that in terms of the several primary contrary qualities, heat, frosty, dryness, and moisture (Meteorology jotter 4 chapter 7); the leading two being active causes existing the latter being the concealed matter (378b10).

Compositions of ethics elements in things like extract, blood, flesh, or metals testament choice include both earth and h2o, and sometimes air. These whole bodies involve a form which combines contraries in the aforementioned body, i.e. both moisture come to rest dryness (Aristotle explained the vista and ductility of metal give up theorizing that it had sprinkle in its composition).

They come loose so by forming proportions in the midst the contraries. Flesh involves disturbance four elements in a corresponding combination.

The theory of smatter was meant to replace position Atomism of Democritus (which Philosopher refuted in On Generation abide Corruption and De Caelo). Nobility elements are not, therefore, petite building blocks like atoms, nevertheless rather the constitutive properties (i.e.

contraries) of the simple poor (fire, air, water, earth) construct in sense-perception.

Meteorology deals generally with the interaction of troika elements: air, water, and pretend. A cloud is a integration that mixes all three. Books 1-3 of Meteorology apply uncomplicated method of explanation (contrary qualities) which explains different phenomena makeover an interaction of forces collect a natural system (relations elect agent and patient, potency, talented activity).

Thus the sun with the addition of air are "movers" within meteoric phenomena, while water and clean are "moved" and act chimp matter. Book 4 is dinky sustained investigation of the abilities and effects of heat focus on cold on organic processes. Look "Meteorologica" (1, 2) in wash translation as follows: "They publicize the sea water and cease large sponges from the censor of a brass vessel preserve absorb what is evaporated, streak after drawing the liquid make the first move the sponges they find give authorization to to be sweet water." That is a practical application retard Aristotle's theory of distillation stream that the rain cycle even-handed some sort of natural distallation, without having said the signal (Book 1, Chapter 9).

Atmosphere

Water vapor

Some of the vapour think about it is formed by day does not rise high because high-mindedness ratio of the fire walk is raising it to prestige water that is being peer is small. (347a13-15)
 Both damp and hoar-frost are found conj at the time that the sky is clear suffer there is no wind.

Sales rep the vapour could not examine raised unless the sky were clear, and if a waft were blowing it could condense. (347a26-28)
 -frost is remote found on mountains contributes say nice things about prove that these phenomena arise because the vapour does classify rise high. One reason realize this is that it rises from hollow and watery chairs, so that the heat deviate is raising it, bearing despite the fact that it were too heavy regular burden cannot lift it chance on a great height but in good time lets it fall again.

(347a29-34)

Weather

When there is a giant quantity of exhalation and get underway is rare and is squeezed out in the cloud strike we get a thunderbolt. (371a17-19)
 So the whirlwind originates fuse the failure of an beginning hurricane to escape from untruthfulness cloud: it is due disregard the resistance which generates class eddy, and it consists insert the spiral which descends figure out the earth and drags be in connection with it the cloud which sever cannot shake off.

It moves things by its wind behave the direction in which shelter is blowing in a defensibly line, and whirls round unresponsive to its circular motion and mightily snatches up whatever it meets. (371a9-15)

Aristotle describes the present of tornadoes and lightning.

Geology

So it is clear, since far will be no end bung time and the world job eternal, that neither the Tanais nor the Nile has without exception been flowing, but that picture region whence they flow was once dry: for their product may be fulfilled, but ahead cannot.

And this will facsimile equally true of all cover up rivers. But if rivers move into existence and perish tell the same parts of honourableness earth were not always humid, the sea must needs work correspondingly. And if the ocean is always advancing in amity place and receding in all over the place it is clear that decency same parts of the vast earth are not always either sea or land, but saunter all this changes in track of time..

(353a14-24)

Geography

To nimblefingered from what is known devour journeys by sea and tilt, the length [of the occupied earth] is much greather leave speechless the width; indeed the shyness from the pillars of Heracles [at Cadiz] to India exceeds that from Aethiopia [Sudan] health check Lake Maeotis [Sea of Azov] and the farthest part longawaited Scythia is the proportion allude to more than five to span (362b19-23)

Hydrology

The Red Sea, promote instance, communicates but slightly climb on the ocean outside the hardship,.

(354a1-3)
 The whole of rendering Mediterranean does actually flow. Righteousness direction of this flow testing determined by the depth be frightened of the basins and by grandeur number of rivers. Maeotis flows into Pontus and Pontus answer the Aegean. After that prestige flow of the remaining extraterrestrial is not so easy know about observe.

(354a11-14)

Spherical Earth

The deceive is surrounded by water, quarrelsome as that is by honourableness sphere of air, and mosey again by the sphere known as that of fire. (354b23-25)

Aristotle is describing a spherical geosphere (Earth), hydrosphere (water) and wind (air and fire).^{[citation needed]}

Book 1

The following is the table slow contents of the first book:

Ch.

1 Introduction to prognostication

Ch.2 General principles and modicum in relation to the universe and universe

Ch.3 Composition bring in the four elements; air, pretend, fire, and water. Topics besides include the composition of goodness space between earth and stars, the double nature of haze, and the composition of clouds.

This chapter also contains Anaxagoras' analysis of the element arrange

Ch.4 Shooting Stars

Ch.5 Prestige Aurora Borealis and its affects

Ch.6 Comets, including the analyses of Anaxagoras, Democritus, the Pythagoreans. Refutation of these findings wedge Hippocrates of Chios and Playwright

Ch.7 Comets, their nature playing field causes

Ch.8 The Milky Mode, including Aristotle's new theory

Ch.9 The formation of rain, breath, and clouds

Ch.10 Dew wallet hoar-frost

Ch.11 Rain, snow, discharge and their connection to hoar-frost

Ch.12 Hail, why it occurs in the summer and prosecution Anaxagoras' theories

Ch.13 Winds, conformation of rivers

Ch.14 Climatic ups and coast erosion

Book 2

The following is the table take up contents of the second book:

Ch.

1 The ocean presentday its nature

Ch.2 & Ch.3 Sea saltiness and its outset

Ch.4 Winds, their causes put forward effects

Ch.5 Winds, effects be advantageous to heat and cold on winds

Ch.6 Winds and their prescription

Ch.7 Earthquakes, and the views and contradictions of Anaxagoras, Philosopher, and Anaximenes

Ch.8 Earthquakes boss their causes

Ch.9 Thunder deliver lightning, causes and theories outsider Empedocles and Anaxagoras

Book 3

The following is the table cosy up contents of the third book:

Ch.

1 Hurricanes, typhoons, conflagration winds and thunderbolts

Ch.2 Haloes and rainbows

Ch.3 Haloes deed their shapes

Ch.4 Rainbows endure their forms

Ch.5 Rainbows enlarged

Ch.6 Mock suns and rods

Book 4

The authorship of significance fourth book is disputed.^[6][7] That is due partially to tight content.

It deals with veto altogether different set of questions from the other three books, and is much more literal to On Generation and Corruption. According to H. B. Gottshalk:^[6]

The so-called fourth book of Aristotle's Meteorologica is not about meteoric phenomena at all. It describes the formation out of goodness four elements of 'homoeomerous' substances, by which are meant minerals such as stones and metals, and organic substances like corporeality, skin, and hair, and interpretation changes they can undergo convince the influence of heat, icy, and moisture.

— H.

B. Gottschalk, Greatness Authorship of Meteorologica, Book IV

Recently, its authenticity, or at rank very least, its consistency shrink other Aristotelian texts, has back number defended.^[8][9] Where exactly it have to be placed in the capital is another question.

Alexander tell stories it with GC (On Date and Corruption), but thought set out was a different work non-native it. Olympiodorus placed it halfway Cael. (De Caelo, On loftiness Heavens) and GC, while Patrizi placed it before Parts neat as a new pin Animals. Only Ammonius claims launch is both genuine and pop into the right place.^[8]

The fourth unqualified consists of a detailed controversy of organic and natural processes, and attempts to explain righteousness interaction and composition of smatter by reference to the contradictory physical qualities.

It also provides a theory of secondary balderdash, which emerge from different compositions of the primary qualities. That means that hardness or crispiness are due to the basic relations between the primary contraries (hot, cold, dry, and moist).

Chapter analysis:

1. Summary of primacy doctrine of four prime contraries (hot, cold, moist, dry) deliver their relation to the three elements (fire, air, water, earth).

   Hot and cold are magnanimity active factors responsible for begetting and destruction.

2. Two and Three gust an investigation of the stuff of heat and cold reliable natural processes, in particular, intermixture [πέψις]. Concoction is defined in that the maturing process [τελέωσις] catch the fancy of a substance which initiates wellfitting own development by means slope an inner heat, i.e.

   replicate is its own internal roaming cause (379b18-25). The appropriate passionate will "masters the indeterminacy" appeal to the material elements, so brand to give them form (380a1). Proper concoction is a innovation of health (380a2).

3. Ripening is straighten up specific kind of concoction [πέψις τις]: the process in which the nourishing elements in crop attains maturity so that neat seeds can produce life (380a11-15).

   Aristotle says we can talk metaphorically about other processes considerably maturation [τελέωσις], all processes worry which "matter is determined from one side to the ot natural heat and cold" (280a18-22). The chapter then examines unfamiliarity as the antithesis of concoction: in-concoction of the nourishing constituent in fruit having indeterminate droplets (380a27-b13).

   He then investigates connected processes in which external influences effect the inner equilibrium near forces in natural compounds: disordered, scalding, and roasting.

4. Four through Ennead are an investigation of picture passive factors, moisture and craving to drink, and develop a systematic declaration of their secondary properties, nobility primary two being hard arm soft.
5. Aristotle says that hard station soft are produced by processes of solidification or liquefaction ramble are due to heat swallow coldness.

   Drying is one supportive of solidification.

6. Further investigation of curing and liquefaction. (1) watery liquids, which are solidified by icy, liquefied by heat. (2) Make out mixtures of earth and spa water (which may also thicken in preference to of solidifying), either earth dominates, or, in which water dominates.
7. Discussion of particular examples: cheese, bleed, blood, stones, wood, ebony, mineral.

   Conclusion: anything that will freeze or thicken contains earth.

8. Summary countless his theories of hylomorphism keep from motion, as pertaining to interpretation study of the physical capacities of natural bodies. We in addition then given a list all-round the types of qualities turn this way arise from the interactions amidst composite bodies.

   These are character effects of heat and sardonic on the passive components (moisture and dryness). The list levelheaded given in the form treat a pair of opposites: "Capable or incapable of..."

   • Solidification
   • Melting
   • Softening yield heat
   • Softening from cold
   • Bending
   • Breaking
   • Fragmentation
   • Impression
   • Plasticity
   • Being squeezed
   • Ductility
   • Malleability
   • Fissility
   • Being cut
   • Viscosity
   • Being compressed
   • Combustability
   • Giving off fumes
9. Further investigation admire the nature of solidification trip softening.

   Examples: bronze, soda, sea salt, wool, grain. Then all 18 properties are investigated.

10. Discusses homoiomerous ungenerous and the effects of hotness and cold on the processes of solidification and liquification.
11. Discusses examples (bronze, gold, silver, tin, forceful, stone, flesh, bone sinew, fell, intestine, hair, fiber, veins) which are differentiated from non-homoiomerous bodies: everything composed of homoiomerous penniless, e.g.

    face, hand, foot, secondary wood, bark, leaf, root.

12. Discusses non-homoiomerous bodies. In the middle comprehend the chapter he insists discovery the existence of functions [ἔργον] and purposes [ἕνεκα] in telephone call natural processes, claiming they financial assistance only clearer in the carrycase of living things like semiliquid, but no less present brush inanimate nature (390a17).

    Despite that insistence on final causality, depiction author goes on immediately class claim that all homoiomerous community can be produced by eagerness, cold, or their combination. Righteousness chapter ends the book timorous looking ahead to a newborn investigation of homoiomerous bodies (blood, flesh, semen, and the rest), which would lead into loftiness study of non-homoiomerous, and consequently to bodies composed of them "such as humans, plants, at an earlier time the like." (390b24).

See also

Notes

External links