Article ID: CBB001320261

Explicit Nomenclature and Classification in Pliny's Natural History XXXII (2013)

unapi

Pliny's Natural History has been traditionally considered as the unoriginal work of an uncritical compiler. This has also been held to be true of the biological books, especially when one compares them with the works of Aristotle, one of Pliny's main authorities in this domain. Aristotle's achievements would be remarkable, especially in the field of classification, of which the philosopher is traditionally celebrated as the scientific father. However, by carefully reading HN XXXII it is possible to find a certain taxonomic awareness---as, for instance, the need for a more accurate nomenclature in order to distinguish some aquatic animals beyond the proliferation of different vernacular terms---which is not to be found in the works of Aristotle. This, in a rather positivist way, may seem to anticipate Renaissance naturalists, but is in fact the consequence of both Pliny's encyclopedic project and contingent ethnobiological, linguistic and social factors.

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Authors & Contributors
Doody, Aude
James G. Sanderson
Wardy, Robert
Selosse, Philippe
Roguenant, Albert
Raynal-Roques, Aline
Concepts
Natural history
Classification in biology
Biology
Terminology and nomenclature
Encyclopedias (history)
Botany
Time Periods
Ancient
Renaissance
18th century
Early modern
Medieval
21st century
Places
Rome (Italy)
Greece
Sweden
Mediterranean region
Italy
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