Author Description
This Edited Volume Explores The History Of The Concept Of Metaphysical Powers. Examples Of Such Powers Include The Power Of Fire To Heat Water, The Power Of A Wine Glass To Break, And The Power Of An Acorn To Grow Into A Tree. It Traces The Fascinating History Of This Concept From Antiquity To The Present Day, With Chapters Written By Experts In Their Fields. Scholars Probe The Philosophical Views Of Thinkers Including Anaxagoras, Plato, The Stoics, Abelard, Anselm, Henry Of Ghent, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, Margaret Cavendish, Mary Shepherd, Immanuel Kant, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, And Numerous Others.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This volume investigates the historical evolution and conceptual development of metaphysical powers from antiquity through the contemporary era. Edited by Julia Jorati, the collection gathers contributions from specialized scholars to examine how various thinkers have defined and categorized the inherent capacities of objects, such as the causal properties of fire or the developmental potential of biological entities. The text provides a structured analysis of how these philosophical frameworks have shifted across centuries of intellectual discourse.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Historical analysis of metaphysical power concepts from antiquity to the present
- Philosophical examinations of thinkers including Anaxagoras, Plato, the Stoics, Abelard, Anselm, Henry of Ghent, Leibniz, Cavendish, Shepherd, Kant, and Hegel
- Comparative studies on the nature of causal properties and potentiality
Scope Limits
- The volume does not provide a comprehensive survey of every minor historical figure associated with the topic
- The text focuses primarily on Western philosophical traditions rather than non-Western metaphysical systems
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts identify this volume as a rigorous resource for students and scholars interested in the history of metaphysics. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is tailored for those with a background in philosophical history.
Page Count:
338
Publication Date:
2021-01-01
ISBN-10:
0190925558
ISBN-13:
9780190925550
Philosophy
Metaphysics
Academic
Philosophy history