Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2014

Publication Title

HOPOS: The Journal of the International Society for the History of Philosophy of Science

First Page

306

Last Page

334

DOI

10.1086/677566

Additional Publication URL

https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/677566

Abstract

This article explores the main aspects of Aristotle’s scientific method in Meteorology IV. Dispositional properties such as solidifiability or combustibility play a dominant role in Meteor. IV (a) in virtue of their central place in the generic division of homoeomers, based on successive differentiation and multiple differentiae, and (b) in virtue of their role in revealing otherwise undetectable characteristics of uniform materials (composition and physical structure). While Aristotle often starts with accounts of ingredients and their ratio (e.g., solids that contain a significant amount of water are liquefiable), the natural direction of his investigation is from observations regarding dispositional properties and their manifestation to accounts of composition and microstructure. Such passages tend to be easily syllogizable, a feature that—along with the criteria that shape his method of division—argues, I believe, for the compatibility of Meteor. IV with Aristotle’s theory of scientific inquiry. The concluding sections of my article deal more succinctly with reputable opinions and final causation in Meteor. IV.1–11 and with the relation between this treatise and Aristotle’s biological corpus.

Rights

This article, "Scientific Method in Meteorology IV." HOPOS: The Journal of the International Society for the History of Philosophy of Science 4, no. 2 (2014): 306-34, was archived with permission from HOPOS: The Journal of the International Society for the History of Philosophy of Science, all rights reserved. This article is also available from HOPOS: The Journal of the International Society for the History of Philosophy of Science.

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