History of Animals

The Historia animalium (Greek Περὶ Τὰ Ζῷα Ἱστορίαι, animal science ) is a resultant in the 4th century BC zoological writing of Aristotle. Its purpose an empirical survey of zoological knowledge as a basis for determining the causes underlying the phenomena underlying.

Same works written in the 16th century Conrad Gesner and Ulisse Aldrovandi (see Conrad Gesner, Ulisse Aldrovandi ).

Scope and time of origin

The Historia animalium Aristotle consists of nine books. The authenticity of the seventh and ninth book is controversial. The last editor, David Balme, holds all nine books for real. It is however likely that interventions are carried out in the text and the traditional text matter is not the original. A tenth book, which deals with the causes of infertility, is certainly not part of the authentic text, but was added later. The time of origin of the work is unknown; it is quite possible that the drafting extended over a long period and repeatedly changes were made.

Content

Book I begins with the classification of " body parts", of which Aristotle understands not only the limbs and organs, but also meat, fat and blood. He distinguishes between " equal parts " ( homogeneous ) parts such as meat and bone and " equal part" ( heterogeneous, " instrumental" ) parts such as the hands, which are composed of equal parts (meat, bones, tendons ). Aristotle notes similarities and differences between the species in terms of their equipment with these parts as well as other features such as motion manner and reproduction.

Based on this finding, he turns to the question of zoological classification. He comes to the conclusion ( I.6 ) that a comprehensive classification scheme for the complete coverage of the entire animal world is not possible, because some species are special cases that can not be put. The following is the analysis of differences in the components of the body (Book I.6 to IV.7 ), a variety of other differences ( IV.8 book -11), the differences in the reproduction ( V.1 to books VII.12 ) and finally, the differences in activities, behaviors, and influences such as diet, social behavior, habitat, and in relation to climate and seasons ( Books 8 and 9).

This man is always included as a kind among other species in the study, especially since he, as Aristotle points out, the best known way. The investigation proceeds from the known, clearly visible to the continued heavy knowable.

The main concern of Aristotle is the elaboration of the differences between species. This must begin their scientific exploration after his conviction. The question of a hierarchical classification system of species is irrelevant for him. He never discussed the broad group explicitly; even though it is apparently their author, he treats her like something Fixed. First, it divides the whole animal world in " blood animals," all of which have a spine, and bloodless animals.

The blood animals he divided as follows:

• Mammals ( viviparous ) biped ( man )
• Viviparous quadrupeds ( including but Vielzeher, cloven-hoofed animals, equidae, animals with fangs, marine mammals )

• Krummklauige ( birds of prey and scavengers ), divided into diurnal and nocturnal
• Worms eater
• Thistle -eater
• Woodpeckers
• Pigeon -like
• Spaltfüßige waterfowl
• Schwimmfüßer
• Flightless birds

• Viviparous ( sharks, skates and rays)
• Egg-laying

The bloodless animals it is different molluscs, crustaceans, insects and crustaceans.

300 of 549 vertebrate species mentioned are described so accurately that modern zoologists were able to identify them. Thus, the work is one of the oldest specialized encyclopedias.

Errors

The Historia animalium contains individual correct obvious errors. Thus it is claimed that the mayfly have four legs ( 490a32 - 490b3 and V.19 I.5 552b17 -23 ), and that men have more teeth than women ( II 3 501b19f. ). But it does not follow the conclusion that Aristotle observed bad, because he took some information from foreign unaudited reports. Among them were allegations that he was unable to verify, as they relate to species that lived in foreign regions or, as in the case of mayflies arose from an inaccurate observation. The mayflies are only available with four legs, because they use their front legs as sensor and raised high wear addressed to the head forward.

Effect

After the death of Aristotle, his students have the research program he had outlined and begun in his zoological writings, almost entirely neglected, apart from Theophrastus, who wrote several mostly not preserved treatises on animals. Throughout the ancient world, no one has written a commentary on the Historia animalium and other zoological works. The historian of philosophy Diogenes Laertius calls while the Historia animalium among the works of Aristotle, but has (as well as some other imperial period authors ) probably knew only a summary. Galen knew the zoological writings of Aristotle and used it by quoting some of the statements partly affirmative and partly negative. But he also has not researched further zoological in the sense conceived by Aristotle program.

Since the 9th century Historia animalium was in an Arabic translation. It was written by an unknown translator, which one has previously identified wrongly with Yahya ibn al - Bitriq. This translation was part of the nine in ten books ( maqālāt ) articulated Kitaab al - hayawān (Book of Animals ), the translator put together three zoological writings of Aristotle: Historia animalium (Book 1-10), De partibus animalium (Book 11-14 ) and De generatione animalium (Book 15-19). The three components were not marked by your own headers as separate units. At the latest 1220 Michael Scot translated the book of animals from Arabic into Latin, and so it was the Latin -speaking world under the title De animalibus libri XIX ( Nineteen books about the animals ) are known. 1260 William of Moerbeke produced a Latin translation at second, where he went from the Greek text. The younger translation displaced from the 14th century to slow the older one.

De animalibus was a basic textbook for the scholastic philosophical anthropology and zoology of the late Middle Ages. Albertus Magnus wrote an extensive treatise De animalibus ( About the Animals ) in 26 books; 1-10 in book he treated commenting animalium the fabric of the Historia. Other scholastic scholars who wrote extensive comments in the 13th century, were Peter Hispanus ( Medicus ) and Gerhard Breuil.

From the Latin Historia animalium was translated into Hebrew in the 13th century. This translation used in 1300, the scholar Gershom ben Shelomoh extensively in his scientific encyclopedia of heaven.

In the Byzantine Empire written in the 12th century scholar Johannes Tzetzes a comment to Historia animalium.

After 1450, the humanist Theodorus Gaza created a new one, the former claims sufficient Latin translation, which was first printed in 1476 and 1504 was published by Aldus Manutius in Venice. This Latin standard text made ​​in the future the basis for the scientific discussion of the work. Aldus Manutius in 1497 brought the first printed edition (Editio princeps) of the original Greek version out.

Same modern works

The Zurich polymath Conrad Gesner grip on the title Historia animalium and described all around 1550 known animal and plant species on 4500 pages. Each of the species he described in eight sections, including appearance, behavior habits and usefulness for food and medicine.

In addition to Conrad Gesner Ulisse Aldrovandi is one of the founders of modern zoology. Above all, his very detailed systematic studies made ​​him known. His main work is the eleven volumes from existing Historia animalium, from especially the three volumes on the birds ( Ornithologia ) became famous as a supplement to Gesner's work.

Expenditure

• Aristotle: Historia animalium. Volume 1: Books I -X: Text, ed. David M. Balme, Cambridge 2002, ISBN 0-521-48002-7

Translations

• Aristotle: animal science. Translated by Paul Gohlke, 2nd edition, Paderborn 1957 ( Aristotle: The treatises Vol 8.1 )

• Pieter Beullens, Fernand Bossier (ed.): De historia animalium. Translatio Guillelmi de Morbeka. Pars prima: Lib I- V. Brill, Leiden 2000, ISBN 90-04-11863-2 ( Aristotle Latinus Vol XVII 2.I.1; critical edition )