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Physique, tome I : Livres I-IV
S'attachant à l'étude des êtres qui ont en eux-mêmes leur principe de mouvement, Aristote se livre à une analyse détaillée des différents types de mouvements et établit un système de la nature.
312 pages, Hardcover
First published February 6, 2015
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About the author
Aristotle
4,331 books5,552 followersAristotle (Greek: Αριστοτέλης; 384–322 BC) was an Ancient Greek philosopher and polymath. His writings cover a broad range of subjects spanning the natural sciences, philosophy, linguistics, economics, politics, psychology, and the arts. As the founder of the Peripatetic school of philosophy in the Lyceum in Athens, he began the wider Aristotelian tradition that followed, which set the groundwork for the development of modern science.
Little is known about Aristotle's life. He was born in the city of Stagira in northern Greece during the Classical period. His father, Nicomachus, died when Aristotle was a child, and he was brought up by a guardian. At 17 or 18, he joined Plato's Academy in Athens and remained there until the age of 37 (c. 347 BC). Shortly after Plato died, Aristotle left Athens and, at the request of Philip II of Macedon, tutored his son Alexander the Great beginning in 343 BC. He established a library in the Lyceum, which helped him to produce many of his hundreds of books on papyrus scrolls.
Though Aristotle wrote many treatises and dialogues for publication, only around a third of his original output has survived, none of it intended for publication. Aristotle provided a complex synthesis of the various philosophies existing prior to him. His teachings and methods of inquiry have had a significant impact across the world, and remain a subject of contemporary philosophical discussion.
Aristotle's views profoundly shaped medieval scholarship. The influence of his physical science extended from late antiquity and the Early Middle Ages into the Renaissance, and was not replaced systematically until the Enlightenment and theories such as classical mechanics were developed. He influenced Judeo-Islamic philosophies during the Middle Ages, as well as Christian theology, especially the Neoplatonism of the Early Church and the scholastic tradition of the Catholic Church.
Aristotle was revered among medieval Muslim scholars as "The First Teacher", and among medieval Christians like Thomas Aquinas as simply "The Philosopher", while the poet Dante Alighieri called him "the master of those who know". His works contain the earliest known formal study of logic, and were studied by medieval scholars such as Pierre Abélard and Jean Buridan. Aristotle's influence on logic continued well into the 19th century. In addition, his ethics, although always influential, gained renewed interest with the modern advent of virtue ethics.
Little is known about Aristotle's life. He was born in the city of Stagira in northern Greece during the Classical period. His father, Nicomachus, died when Aristotle was a child, and he was brought up by a guardian. At 17 or 18, he joined Plato's Academy in Athens and remained there until the age of 37 (c. 347 BC). Shortly after Plato died, Aristotle left Athens and, at the request of Philip II of Macedon, tutored his son Alexander the Great beginning in 343 BC. He established a library in the Lyceum, which helped him to produce many of his hundreds of books on papyrus scrolls.
Though Aristotle wrote many treatises and dialogues for publication, only around a third of his original output has survived, none of it intended for publication. Aristotle provided a complex synthesis of the various philosophies existing prior to him. His teachings and methods of inquiry have had a significant impact across the world, and remain a subject of contemporary philosophical discussion.
Aristotle's views profoundly shaped medieval scholarship. The influence of his physical science extended from late antiquity and the Early Middle Ages into the Renaissance, and was not replaced systematically until the Enlightenment and theories such as classical mechanics were developed. He influenced Judeo-Islamic philosophies during the Middle Ages, as well as Christian theology, especially the Neoplatonism of the Early Church and the scholastic tradition of the Catholic Church.
Aristotle was revered among medieval Muslim scholars as "The First Teacher", and among medieval Christians like Thomas Aquinas as simply "The Philosopher", while the poet Dante Alighieri called him "the master of those who know". His works contain the earliest known formal study of logic, and were studied by medieval scholars such as Pierre Abélard and Jean Buridan. Aristotle's influence on logic continued well into the 19th century. In addition, his ethics, although always influential, gained renewed interest with the modern advent of virtue ethics.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 14, 2025
I haven't read this straight through since the 90s. The ideas transformed the way I understand nature then, but are more awesome now that I understand much more. The distinction between potency and act and the definitions of motion, time, and infinity are mind blowing.
A must to understanding Aquinas, I can't recommend this neglected book enough.
A must to understanding Aquinas, I can't recommend this neglected book enough.
March 1, 2018
A must read if you have any interest in philosophy, though many pass by The Physics (more accurate translation is Natural Philosophy), and only read his books on ethics and the Metaphysics. Not an easy read, by any means, and best to compare several translations, some recent commentaries, and, even better, know ancient Greek to some extent. The Loeb has a fairly good translation, the Greek on a facing page, and a good introduction for each book. I find his philosophy inspiring and helping me to think about many profound topics and come up with my own approach, even when, and especially when, he is wrong. Books 5-8 are next especially Books 5, 6 and 8.
January 23, 2009
Amazing book, deals with the natural phenomena surrounding us. By reading it, one recognizes patterns of argumentations, beliefs and opinions that are still, to some extent, governing our way of thinking until this day. So, if you're passionate about philosophy and want to learn more, this book is absolutely a 'sine qua non', so to speak...
October 27, 2020
This was assigned reading for Peter Maxwell's course,' The History of Ancient Philosophy', at Loyola University Chicago during the second semester of 1980/81.
Interestingly, while ostensibly about natural law, Aristotle's work has virtually no relevance to contemporary science. Galileo et alia shattered the Aristotelean hegemony centuries ago. Despite this, however, The 'Physics' is very important in the history of Western and of Islamic philosophy.
Interestingly, while ostensibly about natural law, Aristotle's work has virtually no relevance to contemporary science. Galileo et alia shattered the Aristotelean hegemony centuries ago. Despite this, however, The 'Physics' is very important in the history of Western and of Islamic philosophy.
March 3, 2012
It's hard to review Aristotle. Three stars because it's not the most scintillating of reads, but five stars worth of significance. He misses out on the concept of inertia, but of course Newton is tens of centuries away. Always enjoy reading the works which form the foundation of Western thought and civilization, even in translation.
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May 11, 2016Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews