[SydPhil] University of Sydney Philosophy Seminar Series: Tom Hercules Davies

[Ryan Cox]

Hi everyone,

This week’s speaker in the University of Sydney Philosophy Seminar Series is Tom Hercules Davies (University of Melbourne).

Tom is the Seymour Reader in Ancient History and Philosophy at Ormond College and the University of Melbourne. He works on philosophy and science in the ancient world, especially in Greece, Mesopotamia, Egypt, and India.

The title of Tom’s talk is “Aristotle (and his interpreters) on Nature and Explanation”. Here’s the abstract for Tom’s talk:

Why does fire go up? Because that it is nature. What is the nature of fire? To go up. Aristotle would accept both these answers, and in 1686, Robert Boyle accused him of circular explanation on these grounds: appealing to a thing's Nature to explain its behaviour is "equally applicable to the resolving of all difficulties" and "not useful to disclose the thing, but to delude the Maker of the Question, or hide the ignorance of the Answerer." This talk defends Aristotle from the charge of circularity. But if Aristotle did not make this mistake, we might ask: why did so many early modern readers believe he did? The talk therefore also sketches a genealogy of Boyle's criticism, tracking the charge to late-antique Alexandria.

The talk will take place on Wednesday the 16th of August at 3:30 p.m. in the Philosophy Seminar Room (N494) in the Quadrangle and will be simulcast via Zoom: https://uni-sydney.zoom.us/j/88699564848.

The talk will be followed by drinks and informal discussion at a nearby venue. All welcome!

Just a reminder that Arash Abizadeh (McGill University) will be presenting, today, Monday the 14th of August at 3:30 p.m.

Enquiries about the seminar series can be directed to ryan.cox at sydney.edu.au<mailto:ryan.cox at sydney.edu.au>

Ryan Cox
Associate Lecturer in Philosophy
Discipline of Philosophy
School of Humanities
University of Sydney
ryan.cox at sydney.edu.au<mailto:ryan.cox at sydney.edu.au>

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