1st Edition

The Nature of Physical Existence

By Leclerc, Ivor Copyright 1972
    384 Pages
    by Routledge

    384 Pages
    by Routledge

    This is Volume II of six in a collection on Epistemology. Originally published in 1972, the central concern of this book is the understanding of the nature of the universe. Its field is thus that which until the eighteenth century had been known as philosophia naturalis, the philosophy of nature. The aim of the book is to elucidate and examine the fundamental concepts in terms of which the universe is understood.

    1 Introduction Part I The Concept of the Infinite, 2 The problem of the Infinite the Aristotelian Analysis 3 Aristotle's Doctrine of the Infinite 4 The changed concept of the Infinite in Medieval Thought 5 The new Philosophy of the Infinite of Nicolaus Cusanus 6 The conception of the Universe as Infinite Part II The Concept of the Physical 7 The Greek Conception of the Physical 8 The Concept of Matter: Aristotelian 9 The Concept of Matter: Medieval 10 The Concept of Matter: Renaissance conception of ensouled matter 11 The Concept of Matter: Early Seventeenth Century Part III The Modern Concept of Nature 12 Matter, Motion and the Concept of Place 13 Place, The Void and Space 14 The Theory of Atomism and the problems of the Continuum 15 The Continuum, the Physicals and the Mathematical 16 Descartes Theory of the Physical 17 Infinite lace and the Principle of Motion 18 Newton: The Physical Existence and the Mathematical Existent 19 The Modern Concept of mature Part IV Prolegomena to a New Concept of Nature 20 Matter, Body and Extension 21 Matter, Motion and Substance 22 Relation, Action and Substance 23 The Physical Existent and Body 24 The Physical Existent, Simple and Compound 25 Physical Existence, Continuity and Discreteness 26 Nature, The Infinite and the Finite 27 The Philosophy of Nature

    Biography

    Ivor Leclerc Professor of Philosophy, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia