Aquinas on Matter and Form and the Elements: A Translation and Interpretation of the De Principiis Naturæ and the De Mixtione Elementorum of St. Thomas Aquinas

Description

Joseph Bobik offers a translation of Aquinas’s De Principiis Naturæ (circa 1252) and De Mixtione Elementorum (1273) accompanied by a continuous commentary, followed by two essays: “Elements in the Composition of Physical Substances” and “The Elements in Aquinas and the Elements Today.” The Principles of Nature introduces the reader to the basic Aristotelian principles such as matter and form, the four causes so fundamental to Aquinas’s philosophy. On Mixture of the Elements examines the question of how the four elements (earth, air, fire, and water) remain within the physical things composed from them.

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Review

“This book offers a translation of Aquinas’s De Principiis Naturae(circa 1252) and De Mixione Elementorum (1273) accompanied by a continuous commentary, followed by two essays: “Elements in the Composition of Physical Substances” and “The Elements in Aquinas and the Elements Today.” The unity of the volume rests in the question of the composition of natural things (whether out of matter and form, or out of the elements). . . . Bobik’s translation is remarkably clear.”

(Review of Metaphysics)

“Congratulations and thanks to Joseph Bobik for having provided a translation that is both accurate and readable of Thomas’s De principiis naturae and De mixitone elementorum.”

(The Thomist)

“This work is a companion to Bobik’s earlier translation and commentary on Aquinas’s On Being and Essence. The Principles of Nature introduces the reader to the basic Aristotelian principles such as matter and form, the four causes so fundamental to Aquinas’s philosophy. On Mixture of the Elements examines the question of how the four elements (earth, air, fire, and water) remain within the physical things composed from them. Bobik gives probably the first published English translation of this work by Aquinas. He includes a section that puts some of the issues raised into a broader context by relating Aquinas’s theory both to modern physics, especially the Big Bang theory, and to the work of a little-known medieval Jewish philosopher, Nahmanides.”

(Religious Studies Review)

Language Notes

Text: English, Latin (translation)
Original Language: Latin

This book is the subject of a series of discussion on Pat Flynn's channel.