The Aristotelian Mechanics

By: Joyce Van Leeuwen

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Synopsis: Thisbook examines the transmission processes of the Aristotelian Mechanics. It does so to enable readers to appreciate thevalue of the treatise based on solid knowledge of the principles of the text. In addition, the book's critical examination helps clear up many of the currentmisunderstandings about the transmission of the text and the diagrams. The first part of the book sets out the Greek manuscript tradition of the Mechanics, resulting in a newlyestablished stemma codicum that illustrates the affiliations of themanuscripts. This research has led to new insights into the transmission of thetreatise, most importantly, it also demonstrates an urgent need for a new text. A first critical edition of the diagrams contained in the Greek manuscripts ofthe treatise is also presented. These diagrams are not only significant for areconstruction of the text but can also be considered as a commentary on thetext. Diagrams are thus revealed to be a powerful tool in studying processes ofthe transfer and transformation of knowledge. This becomes especially relevantwhen the manuscript diagrams are compared with those in the printed editionsand in commentaries from the early modern period. The final part of the bookshows that these early modern diagrams and images reflect the altered scope ofthe mechanical discipline in the sixteenth century.