Aristotle on the Nature and Causes of Perception

This book provides a fresh interpretation of Aristotle's account of perception, refocusing the debate and emphasising what remains philosophically relevant. It will engage experts on Aristotle and help those who work in ancient philosophy, including advanced students, while inviting contemporary philosophers to engage with Aristotle's thought.

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In this book Robert Roreitner offers a fresh interpretation of Aristotle's philosophically intriguing answers to what the nature of perception is, how it can be explained, and how perception is distinguished from mere appearance. He argues that for Aristotle, perception is a complete passive activity, and explains why this notion merely appears self-contradictory to us. He shows how Aristotle succeeds in integrating causal, qualitative, and relational aspects of perception, and explains why he is neither a 'spiritualist' nor a 'materialist'. He presses and resolves an unappreciated dilemma for Aristotle's hylomorphic account of perception and the role of the soul therein. This rich study shows that although Aristotle's understanding of perception may be in many respects outmoded, its core insights remain philosophically engaging. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.