Cosmology and Biology in Ancient Philosophy: From Thales to Avicenna

Description

In antiquity living beings are inextricably linked to the cosmos as a whole. Ancient biology and cosmology depend upon one another and therefore a complete understanding of one requires a full account of the other. This volume addresses many philosophical issues that arise from this double relation. Does the cosmos have a soul of its own? Why? Is either of these two disciplines more basic than the other, or are they at the same explanatory level? What is the relationship between living things and the cosmos as a whole? If the cosmos is an animate intelligent being, what is the nature of its thoughts and actions? How do these relate to our own thoughts and actions? Do they pose a threat to our autonomy as subjects and agents? And what is the place of zoogony in cosmogony? A distinguished international team of contributors provides original essays discussing these questions.

Ricardo Salles is a researcher at the Instituto de Investigaciones Filosoficas of the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. His recent books include: Los Filosofos Estoicos. Ontologia, Logica, Fisica y Etica (with Marcelo Boeri, 2014) and Alejandro de Afrodisias. De la Mixtura y el Crecimiento (with Jose Molina, 2020). He is the editor of Metaphysics, Soul and Ethics. Themes from the Work of Richard Sorabji (2005) and of God and Cosmos in Stoicism (2009).