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Science, Worldviews and Education pp 213–236Cite as

Fall and Rise of Aristotelian Metaphysics in the Philosophy of Science

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Abstract

The paper examines the fortunes of Aristotelian metaphysics in science and the philosophy of science. It considers the Enlightenment claim that such a metaphysics is fundamentally unscientific, and that its abandonment was essential to the scientific revolution. The history of the scientific revolution and the metaphysical debates involved in it is examined, and it is argued that the eclipse of Aristotelian views was neither complete, nor merited. The evolution of Humeian and positivist accounts of science is described, and it is shown how the severe problems with these accounts, together with a revival of Aristotelian concepts in philosophy, have led to the rebirth of broadly Aristotelian accounts of the metaphysics underlying science.

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  1. Department of Theology, Catholic Institute of Sydney, 2140, Strathfield, NSW, Australia

    John Lamont

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  1. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, University of New South Wales, Morven Brown Building G1, 2052, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Michael R. Matthews

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Lamont, J. (2007). Fall and Rise of Aristotelian Metaphysics in the Philosophy of Science. In: Matthews, M.R. (eds) Science, Worldviews and Education. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2779-5_11

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