ARISTOTELIAN PHYSICS Meaning and
Definition
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Aristotelian physics refers to the classical understanding of physics as described by the ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle.
In Aristotle's view, the study of physics was known as natural philosophy and sought to explain the natural world through observation and logical reasoning. Aristotelian physics emphasized a geocentric model of the universe, where Earth was considered the center of all motion. It was believed that celestial bodies like the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars moved in orderly circular paths around the Earth.
According to Aristotelian physics, the natural world was made up of four fundamental elements – Earth, Water, Air, and Fire. Each element possessed different qualities such as hot, cold, wet, or dry, which influenced their behavior and interactions in nature.
Aristotle also proposed that objects on Earth were made up of a combination of the four elements and possessed certain properties like weight, density, and state of motion. He introduced the concept of natural motion, which distinguished between objects' tendencies to move naturally or unnaturally. Natural motion was characterized by the belief that objects tended to move towards or away from their natural places, depending on their elemental composition.
Aristotelian physics heavily influenced scientific thinking for more than a millennium until the rise of modern physics in the 16th and 17th centuries. While it contained several inaccuracies and limitations, it laid a foundation for scientific inquiry and was a crucial stepping stone in the development of scientific knowledge.
Etymology of ARISTOTELIAN PHYSICS
The word "Aristotelian" refers to the Greek philosopher Aristotle, who lived from 384 to 322 BCE. Aristotle was one of the most influential thinkers in ancient Greece and his works covered a wide range of topics, including physics or natural philosophy.
The etymology of the word "Aristotelian" comes from the Latinization of Aristotle's name, Aristoteles, combined with the suffix "-ian". The suffix "-ian", in English, is used to form adjectives from nouns, indicating a connection or affiliation with a person or thing.
Therefore, "Aristotelian physics" refers to the branch of physics or natural philosophy that is based on the principles, theories, and ideas formulated by Aristotle. It specifically refers to the pre-modern and classical understanding of physics, which was dominant for several centuries before being challenged and replaced by the scientific revolution in the 17th century.
