Aristotle on Female Animals: A Study of the Generation of Animals (Cambridge Classical Studies)
Language: English
Pages: 452
ISBN: 110713630X
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
Aristotle's account of female nature has received mostly negative treatment, emphasising what he says females cannot do. Building on recent research, this book comprehensively revises such readings, setting out the complex and positive role played by the female in Aristotle's thought with a particular focus on the longest surviving treatise on reproduction in the ancient corpus, the Generation of Animals. It provides new interpretations of the nature of Aristotle's sexism, his theory of male and female interaction in generation, and his account of inherited features. It also discusses a range of more general issues which can and should be re-examined in light of Aristotle's account of female animals: his methodology, hylomorphism, teleology and psychology. Aristotle on Female Animals will be valuable to all those interested in Aristotle's philosophy and the history of gender.
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Aristotle begins the work with some of the general principles he had already established in other works, for instance the four causes (GA 715a3–11). He also reviews the distinction between different parts of animals (GA 715a8–11), thus returning to the PA and its more detailed study of this topic. This is why Sections (A) and (B) commence with an account of generative parts. Section (B) contains two key elements. Aristotle first attempts to connect the project in the GA with broader metaphysical
generative fluid Mola uteri (only occurs in human beings) Due to: amount of generative fluid (I) Milk (in live-bearing quadrupeds); it is not a deformity. Re-uses: Body size (777b3) Perfection/imperfection of offspring (774b13, 777b10) Residues Adds: Gestational periods Lifespan (777a33) Blend (777b7) Periods of time (777b19) (J) Variations in parts which occur in some animals and not in others, explanations in terms of: Amount of fluid (779b27, 782a27). Pneuma (781a25, 789b9) Thickness/thinness of
is epistemically optimistic, believing that everyone has access to the truth. ‘[F]or the best thing would be if everyone were seen to agree with what is said, or if not, to agree in a way, which will happen if they change their ground. For everyone has something of his own to contribute to truth’ (EE 1216b28–31).61 On this view Aristotle would have constructed his theories by concentrating on what others had to say on the matter – trusting these accounts and incorporating them all into his own
ancient texts, those who call the female contribution ‘semen’ impose a male framework onto the female. Consider the author of On Generation’s description of the pleasure experienced by women in sexual intercourse. Once intercourse has begun, [the woman] experiences pleasure throughout the whole time, until the man ejaculates . . . her pleasure terminates along with that of the man. . . . If, for example, you pour wine on a flame, first of all the flame flares up and increases for a short period . . .
The animal’s soul must then ‘separate’ off the purer and thinner part and warm it up. By separating the more corporeal from the purer blood, the nutritive soul of an animal ensures the correct degree of thinness and thickness of the blood (Somn. 458a12). This same soul capacity also maintains a certain proportion of fluid to fibrous blood. The more body-like and earthy part occurs mostly in animals that display brave (or rash) feelings and the thinner part is most often required for those that can