Opvattingen van een opvatting. Aristoteles over het kunstmatig voortbrengen van natuurlijke verbindingen

Abstract

Interpretation of an opinion Aristotle on the artificial production of natural compounds The opinion in Antiquity and the Middle Ages that man could not make a new substance, in the sense of form, by joining existing substances and therefore could not make a real compound (mixis), is often thought to originate from Aristotle. Francis Bacon thought that this way of thinking was a serious impediment to the improvement of human prosperity. This doctrine had a strong, not always positive, influence on the development of science, i.e. chemistry. It is debatable, however, whether the Greek philosopher is properly understood on this point. To Aristotle the processes of growing in nature (physis) and making by man (technè) are analogous: with respect to change technè and physis are identical. Therefore it is questionable to attribute the opinion described to Aristotle. In this paper an attempt is made to ascertain if this interpretation of Aristotle's opinion is tenable. A close reading of his texts shows that, in fact, he ascribes a form to products of technè. Moreover, this interpretation is supported by his mentioning instances of mixis in which a new substantial form is brought about by technè.