History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps HoP 226 - Full of Potential - Thirteenth Century Physics
May 31, 2015
Medieval thinkers explore Aristotle's views on motion, time, infinity, and space. They challenge ancient philosophers' understanding of the cosmos and analyze alternative explanations for projectile motion. The nature of time and its connection to motion are also discussed. The treatment of infinity in Aristotle's physics and the problems with defining place are explored, along with the religious implications of Aristotelian ideas.
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Medieval Thought Was Innovative
- Medieval natural philosophy relied heavily on Aristotle but the commentators innovated rather than merely repeated him.
- Some early modern ideas trace their roots to 13th-century commentaries that reinterpreted Aristotle's physics.
Baseball Vs Feather Illustration
- Richard Rufus uses the baseball vs feather example to show why Aristotle's account of projectile motion struggles.
- Rufus proposes an 'impression' on the thrown object to explain continued motion and differing behavior for light and heavy projectiles.
Impression Prefigures Impetus
- Rufus's 'impression' idea approaches but is not identical to later impetus theory.
- Full impetus, where motion continues unless resisted, only crystallizes in the 14th century.