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What is the relation between time and change? Does time depend on the mind? Is the present always the same or is it always different? Aristotle tackles these questions in the Physics, and Time for Aristotle is the first book in English devoted to this discussion.Aristotle claims that time is not a kind of change, but that it is something dependent on change; he defines it as a kind of "number of change." Ursula Coope argues that what this means is that time is a kind of order (not, as is commonly supposed, a kind of measure). It is universal order within which all changes are related to each other. This interpretation enables Coope to explain two puzzling claims that Aristotle makes: that the now is like a moving thing, and that time depends for its existence on the mind. Brilliantly lucid in its explanation of this challenging section of the Physics, Time for Aristotle shows his discussion to be of enduring philosophical interest.
This book investigates the fundamental nature of time as presented in Aristotle's Physics, specifically addressing the relationship between time, change, and the human mind. Ursula Coope, a scholar of ancient philosophy, provides a rigorous analysis of Aristotle's claim that time is a 'number of change.' She argues that Aristotle defines time as a universal order of change rather than a mere measurement, offering a framework that resolves historical confusion regarding Aristotle's views on the 'now' and the role of the mind in time's existence.
What You Will Find
Scholars and students of ancient philosophy recognize this text as a significant contribution to the study of Aristotelian physics. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a foundational resource for those examining the intersection of time and metaphysics in classical thought.
Page Count:
208
Publication Date:
2009-01-15
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0199556709
ISBN-13:
9780199556700
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