Aristotle on the Continuum in Presocratic Thought

This book offers the first comprehensive analysis of the origin and development of the concept of physical continuity in ancient thought before Aristotle, combining a thorough study of Presocratic philosophy with Aristotle’s perspective.

The concept of continuity plays a fundamental role in Aristotle’s philosophy, particularly in his physics; however, nowhere in his corpus does he present his theory of continuity. In this book, readers gain a solid foundation for understanding Aristotle’s theory of the continuum through an in-depth exploration of Presocratic views on being and continuity. The book’s innovative approach critically analyzes Aristotle’s engagement with his predecessors, including the work of Anaximander, the Pythagoreans, Eleatic philosophy, and the Atomists. By addressing this gap in existing literature, this volume not only enriches the discourse on Presocratic thought, but also establishes a clearer understanding of Aristotle’s contributions to the concept of continuity.

This book is suitable for students and scholars of ancient philosophy and the philosophy of science, particularly those working on Presocratic philosophy and Aristotle’s thought more broadly.

Giovanna R. Giardina is a full professor of Ancient Philosophy at the University of Catania (Italy) and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University (California). She is the editor of the Book Series ’Symbolon. Collana di Studi e Testi di Filosofia Antica e Medievale’. Her studies focus mainly on Aristotle, particularly the Physics, on which she commented in three different volumes covering the first three books, and Neoplatonism.