Source edition
Aristotle. Aristotelis Opera, Volume 3. Bekker, Immanuel, editor. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1837.
Source data
A Digital Corpus for Graeco-Arabic Studies · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This treatise is a scientific and philosophical inquiry into the nature of sensation and its objects, which are essential for the survival and intellect of animals. The author begins by examining the physiological and elemental composition of the sensory organs, aligning them with the primary elements—water, air, fire, and earth—while critically addressing the theories of earlier natural philosophers. The discussion then shifts to the specific objects of perception, investigating the essence and generation of color, taste, and odor. In the latter half, the work addresses more abstract physical questions, such as whether sensible qualities can be infinitely divided, the temporal propagation of sensory stimuli through mediums, and whether it is possible to perceive multiple objects simultaneously. Ultimately, the text concludes that while the sensing soul is numerically one, it operates through distinct faculties to perceive different objects concurrently, demonstrating that all sensible objects possess physical magnitude.
Contents
15 chunks
Cited by chapter.section