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Article ID: CBB001211462

Aristotle on the Unity of Change: Five Reductio Arguments in Physics viii 8 (2010)

Bowin, John (Author)

Ancient Philosophy
Volume: 30
Pages: 319--345
Publication date: 2010
Language: English

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Change (philosophy) Reason Motion (physical) History of philosophy of science Physics Philosophy Ancient Greece Aristotle

Although the stated purpose of Physics viii 8 is to prove that only circular loco-motion is infinitely continuous, it is generally recognized that a major sub-theme of the chapter has to do with the unity of change and centers on Zeno *s dichotomy paradox. According to one influential account of this sub-theme. Aristotle returns to the dichotomy paradox in Physics viii 8. primarily to engage in a defensive maneuver. In Physics vi. while focused on the infinite divisibility of change instead of its identity conditions. Aristotle left open the possibility that occurrences that are 'one change' could have infinitely many parts that are also 'one change.' By Physics viii 8. however. Zeno has brought Aristotle to realize that if this possibility is admitted, then what one chooses to call 'one change' is to a large extent arbitrary. But this Aristotle cannot countenance, because his entire theory of change is built upon the concept of a change as a thing uniquely defin-able as the passage from a particular state to a particular state. In Physics viii 8, then. Aristotle seeks to avoid this result by 'refining' the definition of 'one change' so that 'one change' can no longer have parts that are also 'one change' and by invoking the metaphysical machinery of the act-potency distinction to give a positive characterization of the difference between change parts and change wholes.2

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