In the De mineralibus, Albert the Great clearly states that minerals do not possess life, since – following the Aristotelian path – life is always connected with the operations of the soul. Nevertheless, dealing with the virtues of stones, Albert speaks about a curious difference between “living” and “dead” stones: living stones are substances that possess virtues caused by their forms, while non-living stones are called stones only equivocally because their virtues have expired. Moreover, throughout his work, Albert often seeks help from the biological world to explain the nature and the processes of mineral substances. The tendency to biologise inorganic nature is a key strategy that Albert uses to explain the processes and functions of the mineral world.

What Is It Like to Die for a Stone? Albert the Great and the Biologisation of Inorganic Nature

Loconsole M
2023-01-01

Abstract

In the De mineralibus, Albert the Great clearly states that minerals do not possess life, since – following the Aristotelian path – life is always connected with the operations of the soul. Nevertheless, dealing with the virtues of stones, Albert speaks about a curious difference between “living” and “dead” stones: living stones are substances that possess virtues caused by their forms, while non-living stones are called stones only equivocally because their virtues have expired. Moreover, throughout his work, Albert often seeks help from the biological world to explain the nature and the processes of mineral substances. The tendency to biologise inorganic nature is a key strategy that Albert uses to explain the processes and functions of the mineral world.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11587/543964
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