Simplicius on Enmattered Forms

Aristotle's criticism of the transcendent Forms and his own conception of enmattered forms greatly challenged the Platonic tradition. However, while Neoplatonic theories of transcendent Forms have been extensively discussed in recent secondary literature, very little attention has been paid to the reception of Aristotle's theory of enmattered forms. The present project concentrates on the concept of the enmattered form in the works of the Neoplatonic commentator Simplicius of Cilicia. Some questions deserve close investigation in this regard. Does Simplicius hold that form is universal or particular? What does he think makes a particular substance particular? How should the natural scientist explain change with respect to form? Which previous philosophers influenced Simplicius' thesis that enmattered forms participate in transcendent Forms? Answering these questions will enrich our knowledge of Simplicius' Neoplatonic metaphysics and its relation to the Aristotelian tradition.

Publication year:2021

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