Ancient Philosophy: The Birth of Biology
Alfred North Whitehead said that the history of western philosophy is a series of footnotes to Plato; it would be equally true to say that the history of biology is a series of footnotes to Plato's student Aristotle. This course introduces students to Aristotle's metaphysics and epistemology through comparison of his works with modern evolutionary theory.
Topics covered include:
- Rationalism and empiricism
- Platonic forms vs. Aristotelian universals
- Aristotle's theory of substance
- Teleology and design