A close examination of the pseudo-Aristotelian Mechanical Problems: The homology between mechanics and poetry as techn膿
- 作者：Michael A. Coxhead michaelcoxhead@gmail.com
- 关键词：Aristotle ; Mechanics ; Poetry ; techn膿 ; History of science ; Ancient Greek philosophy
- 刊名：Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A
- 出版年：2012
- 期刊代码：25_00393681
- 类别：art
- 出版时间：June, 2012
- 卷：43
- 期：2
- 页码：300-306
- 文件大小：185 K
摘要
The pseudo-Aristotelian Mechanical Problems is the earliest known ancient Greek text on mechanics, principally concerned with the explanation of a variety of mechanical phenomena using a particular construal of the principle of the lever. In the introduction, the author鈥攖hought to be an early Peripatetic鈥攓uotes the tragic poet Antiphon to summarise a discussion of the techn膿-physis (art-nature) relationship and the status of mechanics as a techn膿. I argue that this citation of a poet is an Aristotelian cultural signature, intended to guide its readers towards a better understanding of the nature of mechanics as expounded in the Mechanical Problems. By analysing several instances where Aristotle cites Antiphon (as well as other tragic poets) in the Aristotelian corpus, I propose that both the author of the Mechanical Problems and Aristotle use poets for the purpose of persuasion. This is in turn explained by understanding the homologous relationship between mechanics-as-techn膿 (according to the author of the Mechanical Problems) and poetics-as-techn膿 (according to Aristotle) in terms of their shared status as poi膿tik膿 techn膿 (productive art) and claims to universal knowledge. A final facet of the proposed relationship between mechanics and poetry is hypothesised on the grounds of their mimetic nature.