Aristotle on the Nature and Causes of Perception

Robert Roreitner (Charles University, Prague)

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English

Cambridge University Press
22 May 2025

Western philosophy: Ancient, to c 500; Western philosophy: Enlightenment

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.

By: Robert Roreitner (Charles University Prague)
Imprint: Cambridge University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
ISBN: 9781009533812
ISBN 10: 1009533819
Pages: 284
Publication Date: 22 May 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Further / Higher Education
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Introduction; 1. Accounting for receptivity; 2. The predecessors' Dilemma; 3. Complete passive activity; 4. The flesh and bones of perception; 5. The passivity of perception and the impassive soul; 6. Perception as a discriminative activity; 7. Reception of forms without the matter and its unmoved causes; Conclusion; Appendix; Index.

Robert Roreitner is Assistant Professor of Ancient Philosophy at Charles University in Prague. He is a co-author of Aristotle on the Essence of Human Thought (2024).

Reviews for Aristotle on the Nature and Causes of Perception

'This study – careful, informed, tightly integrated, and thorough – makes an important contribution to the literature on Aristotle's theory of perception. Highlights include its emphasis on 'continued' perceiving, as the central phenomenon to be explained, and its development of a dynamic account of perceptual discrimination, as a way to do justice to it without prejudice to the soul's impassibility. It is sure to become essential reading on its topic.' , Sean Kelsey, University of Notre Dame