Alberto Ross
Universidad Panamericana, Philosophy, Faculty Member
This volume offers an updated analysis of the use, meaning, and scope of the classical notion of aitia. It clarifies philosophical and philological questions about aitia and offers bold and innovative interpretations of this key concept... more
This volume offers an updated analysis of the use, meaning, and scope of the classical notion of aitia. It clarifies philosophical and philological questions about aitia and offers bold and innovative interpretations of this key concept of ancient philosophy. The numerous meanings and nuances of aitia remain difficult to grasp. Ancient philosophers use aitia to explain the existence and activity of substances, bodies, souls, or gods. Paradoxically, its own definition remains difficult to establish. This book reconstructs some of the most important uses, variants, and scopes of the term aitia within different philosophical perspectives in antiquity, including early Greek philosophy, Plato, Aristotle, Stoicism, and Islamic philosophy. The chapters analyze metaphysical aspects, epistemological issues, and logical implications of aitia. They engage with the most relevant critical literature generated in several modern languages. In doing so, they offer an inclusive and overarching re-evaluation of our assumptions about causation and explanation in ancient philosophy. Cause and Explanation in Ancient Philosophy will be of interest to scholars and advanced students working on Pre-Socratic philosophy, Plato, Aristotle, Hellenistic philosophy, late antiquity, and medieval philosophy.
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The way Plato discusses time and its relation to the cosmos has puzzled and divided his readers from the very beginning. This originated rich and diverse readings that shaped and contributed to the cosmological discussion of the... more
The way Plato discusses time and its relation to the cosmos has puzzled and divided his readers from the very beginning. This originated rich and diverse readings that shaped and contributed to the cosmological discussion of the Hellenistic and Late Antiquity periods. Modern scholars too, have offered many and often opposed views on the matter. This book assembles an international team of scholars to move forward the study of Plato's conception of time, to find fresh insights for interpreting his cosmology, and to reimagine the ancient Platonic tradition.
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The aim of this chapter is to reconstruct the Aristotelian reception and critique of a thesis that can be described as Platonic. When Aristotle proves the existence of a Prime Mover in Physics viii, he also explains its properties and its... more
The aim of this chapter is to reconstruct the Aristotelian reception and critique of a thesis that can be described as Platonic. When Aristotle proves the existence of a Prime Mover in Physics viii, he also explains its properties and its relationship with the physical world. He explores, for example, whether the Prime Mover has magnitude, motion or potence. However, he concludes that it is not the case, because the first principle of motion must be immaterial and absolutely immobile. This description is introduced to explain the continuity and eternity of change, so the Prime Mover must not undergo any movement at all, not even of an accidental kind (kata symbebēkos). This implies that the first cause of motion should be different from other kinds of principles of change, such as souls, which are immobile and immaterial movers, but which undergo accidental motion. This is the case because souls are related to bodies, which are capable of motion. In the current chapter, I will try to prove that Aristotle’s clarification of this point in Physics viii could be interpreted as an answer to Plato or to a Platonic interlocutor, and as a reaction against the identification of the main cause of motion with a cosmic soul. Aristotle does not mention an interlocutor explicitly in these passages of Physics viii, but I will try to show that he had in mind the position defended by Plato in Laws x and the Timaeus, according to which the cosmos is an animal composed of body and soul, and that this soul is a kind of first principle for nature and change.
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This paper sets out to examine the strategy of Simplicius in the last part of his commentary on Physics VIII for establishing the kind of causality of the Aristotelian Prime Mover. The question discussed in these lines appears in the... more
This paper sets out to examine the strategy of Simplicius in the last part of his commentary on Physics VIII for establishing the kind of causality of the Aristotelian Prime Mover. The question discussed in these lines appears in the context of Simplicius’ attempt to conciliate the Aristotelian metaphysics with Platonic theology. In order to do that, Simplicius follows some of the main arguments of his teacher Ammonius and opens an interesting discussion with Alexander of Aphrodisias and an anonymous interlocutor. At the end of my exposition, I will point out some issues about the nature of this transmission of the Aristotelian doctrine of the Prime Mover and I would like to mention some other issues that could be significant for the contemporary discussion about the topic.
Research Interests: Theology, Plato, Aristotle, History of Science, History Of Platonic Tradition, and 11 moreHistory and Philosophy of Physics, History of Physics, Ancient Philosophy, Simplicius, Neoplatonism, Ancient Greek Philosophy, Greek Philology, Aristóteles, Ancient commentators on Aristotle, Platón, and Plato and Neoplatonism
The aim of this chapter is to give an overview of practical wisdom in medieval Christian philosophy. We will emphasize the influence of ancient moral philos- ophy and the novelty of several Christian authors. To do so, we will first... more
The aim of this chapter is to give an overview of practical wisdom in medieval Christian philosophy. We will emphasize the influence of ancient moral philos- ophy and the novelty of several Christian authors. To do so, we will first describe the transmission of the Greek doctrines about virtue in the Middle Ages. We will remark mainly the complexity of this reception among the Early Church Fathers. Second, we will focus on two theories about virtue and prudence coming from two specific philosophers: Peter Abelard and Thomas Aquinas. The position of both philosophers illustrates the different reception and assimilation that the Greek doctrines of virtue received in the Middle Ages.
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Senior managers seek to align managerial endeavors with the organization’s objectives. Traditionally, alignment has focused on monitoring and rewarding the achievement of assigned targets. However, there is evidence to suggest that... more
Senior managers seek to align managerial endeavors with the organization’s objectives. Traditionally, alignment has focused on monitoring and rewarding the achievement of assigned targets. However, there is evidence to suggest that organizations may also seek to align managerial “values” with those of the organization. These attempts to influence managerial mindsets through management control systems raise non-trivial questions regarding the systems involved, the reasons behind them, and the possible consequences of such attempts. These questions form the basis of this research, and this chapter reports on two case studies of Mexican organizations that claim to have a values-based philosophy. This study contributes to the management literature by presenting empirical evidence related to certain philosophical ideas on the development of human potential and senior managers’ attempts to influence their employees’ will. In detailing the implementation process of two specific value systems, this chapter fills a gap identified in the management control literature.
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El propósito de este trabajo es mostrar la recepción y la transformación de algunas tesis básicas de la filosofía especulativa de Aristóteles en el pensamiento de Santo Tomás de Aquino. Para dicha revisión, nos centraremos en una... more
El propósito de este trabajo es mostrar la recepción y la transformación de algunas tesis básicas de la filosofía especulativa de Aristóteles en el pensamiento de Santo Tomás de Aquino. Para dicha revisión, nos centraremos en una discusión dedicada al tema de la Creación que aparece en la cuestión 3 del tratado De Potencia Dei 1. Como es bien sabido, Aristóteles fue un defensor de la tesis según la cual el movimiento y el cosmos son eternos, lo cual entra en conflicto prima facie con el dato revelado de que el mundo ha sido creado ex nihilo. La tensión entre ambas posiciones generó una amplia discusión desde los primeros siglos del cristianismo y es uno de los debates sobre los cuales se pronunciaron los filósofos y teólogos más importantes del medioevo. Santo Tomás no es la excepción y aborda la polémica en distintos contextos. Uno de ellos es el ya mencionado tratado De Potentia Dei, don-de se explora la cuestión de si Dios puede crear algo a partir de la nada.
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El propósito del presente trabajo es ofrecer una reconstrucción de la teoría aristotélica de la aphaíresis con el fin de mostrar que dicha noción se asimila más a la de “atención selectiva” que a la de “abstracción” en sentido... more
El propósito del presente trabajo es ofrecer una reconstrucción de la teoría aristotélica de la aphaíresis con el fin de mostrar que dicha noción se asimila más a la de “atención selectiva” que a la de “abstracción” en sentido fuerte como suelen afirmar las interpretaciones más comunes. Intentaré mostrar que, a partir de lo anterior, podemos alcanzar una mejor comprensión de la filosofía de Aristóteles sobre el particular, pero también nos ayuda a abrir el panorama para un estudio más cuidadoso de las relaciones entre el pensador griego y otros autores o tradiciones filosóficas.
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Research Interests: Metaphysics, Ethics, Aristotle, Aristotle's Ethics, Ética, and 3 moreAristóteles, Metafísica, and Aristoteles
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Resumen: El objetivo de este trabajo es ofrecer una reconstrucción de la primera vía propuesta por santo Tomás para demostrar la existencia de Dios en la Suma Teológica. La argumentación tomista en dicha obra avanza paso a paso para... more
Resumen: El objetivo de este trabajo es ofrecer una reconstrucción de la primera vía propuesta por santo Tomás para demostrar la existencia de Dios en la Suma Teológica. La argumentación tomista en dicha obra avanza paso a paso para explicar, en primer lugar, qué tipo de discurso racional se puede articular para hablar del ser y la esencia de Dios. Una vez desarrollado el punto anterior, el Aquinate propone una serie de argumentos dirigidos a resolver la cuestión acerca de la existencia de un ser divino y sus atributos. En lo que respecta al presente texto, nos centraremos en la primera de las vías ahí propuestas a favor de la tesis "Dios existe" y hablaremos también del contexto discursivo en el que aparece dicha prueba. Tomás se refiere a ella como la primera y la más clara de todas.
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The aim of this paper is to discuss the Aristotelian definition of pleasure in Nicomachean Ethics x 4. In those passages, Aristotle offers several arguments to prove that pleasure is not a movement (kínesis), or a coming into being. The... more
The aim of this paper is to discuss the Aristotelian definition of pleasure in Nicomachean Ethics x 4. In those passages, Aristotle offers several arguments to prove that pleasure is not a movement (kínesis), or a coming into being. The nature of pleasure would imply a different kind of assimilation, something closer to an enérgeia. Even though, it is not clear in those texts, if pleasure is strictly speaking an activity or something that completes it. We find passages pointing out in both directions. In any case, a pleasure would complete an activity not as the inherent state does, but as an end which supervenes, just «as the bloom of youth does on those in the flower of their age». I will try to clarify the sense of this metaphor in the framework of Aristotle’s ontology and his ethical account in order to explain the Aristotelian definition of pleasure.
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RESUMEN: El propósito de este trabajo es presentar una reconstrucción de cómo se articulan las nociones de finalidad y naturaleza en la física de Aristóteles, así como de la relación que guardan estos principios con la substancia eterna e... more
RESUMEN: El propósito de este trabajo es presentar una reconstrucción de cómo se articulan las nociones de finalidad y naturaleza en la física de Aristóteles, así como de la relación que guardan estos principios con la substancia eterna e inmóvil que introduce el filósofo griego en Metaph. XII. Como es bien sabido, hay un espectro amplio de lecturas acerca de la postura aristotélica sobre el particular, las cuales responden a distintas valoraciones de los argumentos que aparecen en los pasajes que el filósofo griego dedica al estudio de estos temas. La lectura que se defenderá en el presente texto podría describirse como minimalista. ABSTRACT: The aim of this paper is to offer an account of the relationship between teleology and nature in Aristotle's physics. In order to achieve this purpose, the article comprises two parts. Firstly, the reconstruction of the Aristotelian arguments that justify the thesis according to which "nature belongs to the kind of causes that act for the sake of something." Secondly, the explanation of the role played by the eternal and immobile substance of Metaph. XII in this account. There are different interpretations about this point, but this article defends a minimalistic position about the connection between the prime unmoved mover and the natural order.
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The aim of this paper is to examine the relationship between “causality”, “nature”, and “fate” in the De Fato of Alexander of Aphrodisias. The Greek commentator follows the Aristotelian doctrine on this matter, but it is worth noting that... more
The aim of this paper is to examine the relationship between “causality”, “nature”, and “fate” in the De Fato of Alexander of Aphrodisias. The Greek commentator follows the Aristotelian doctrine on this matter, but it is worth noting that Alexander diverges from the letter of the master on more than one occasion. It is well known that the most important Aristotelian commentators in late Antiquity offer us a detailed reconstruction of the Aristotelian arguments, but also the development of new positions in the framework of very different traditions. The works of Alexander of Aphrodisias in general and his book De fato (“On Fate”) in particular are one of the best examples of this practice.
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El propósito de este trabajo es explicar algunas de las implicaciones que conlleva la utilización de la técnica CRISPR-Cas en línea germinal con fines no terapéuticos, en el contexto del transhumanismo. Después de dar una breve... more
El propósito de este trabajo es explicar algunas de las implicaciones que conlleva la utilización de la técnica CRISPR-Cas en línea germinal con fines no terapéuticos, en el contexto del transhumanismo. Después de dar una breve explicación sobre la naturaleza de esta técnica, se ofrece el estado de la cuestión en lo referente a la normativa internacional vigente. Posteriormente, se observan las consecuencias que tiene el desarrollo de esta técnica en el marco del proyecto transhumanista y se ofrece una reflexión jurídica, una política y una antropológica sobre las mismas.
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RESUMEN El propósito de este trabajo es presentar una recons-trucción de cómo se articulan las nociones de finalidad y naturaleza en la física de Aristóteles, así como de la relación que guardan estos principios con la substan-cia eterna... more
RESUMEN El propósito de este trabajo es presentar una recons-trucción de cómo se articulan las nociones de finalidad y naturaleza en la física de Aristóteles, así como de la relación que guardan estos principios con la substan-cia eterna e inmóvil que introduce el filósofo griego en Metaph. XII. Como es bien sabido, hay un espectro amplio de lecturas acerca de la postura aristotélica sobre el particular, las cuales responden a distintas valoraciones de los argumentos que aparecen en los pasajes que el filósofo griego dedica al estudio de estos temas. La lectura que se defenderá en el presente texto podría describirse como minimalista. ABSTRACT The aim of this paper is to offer an account of the relationship between teleology and nature in Aristo-tle's physics. In order to achieve this purpose, the article comprises two parts. Firstly, the reconstruction of the Aristotelian arguments that justify the thesis according to which "nature belongs to the kind of causes that act for the sake of something." Secondly, the explanation of the role played by the eternal and immobile substance of Metaph. XII in this account. There are different interpretations about this point, but this article defends a minimalistic position about the connection between the prime unmoved mover and the natural order.
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... Aristóteles y las series causales infinitas en "Física" VII y VIII. Autores: Alberto Ross; Localización: Tópicos: revista de Filosofía, ISSN 0188-6649, Nº. 27, 2004 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Dios y los filósofos)... more
... Aristóteles y las series causales infinitas en "Física" VII y VIII. Autores: Alberto Ross; Localización: Tópicos: revista de Filosofía, ISSN 0188-6649, Nº. 27, 2004 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Dios y los filósofos) , págs. 129-146. Fundación Dialnet. Acceso de usuarios registrados. ...
Universidad Panamericana, Mexico City
La reflexión en torno al método a seguir por la filosofía y el resto de las disciplinas científicas está presente en todas las tradiciones del pensamiento. No importa si nos ubicamos antes o después de Descartes. Un ejercicio reflexivo de... more
La reflexión en torno al método a seguir por la filosofía y el resto de las disciplinas científicas está presente en todas las tradiciones del pensamiento. No importa si nos ubicamos antes o después de Descartes. Un ejercicio reflexivo de esta naturaleza se advierte en la obra de ...
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El hilo conductor de los textos es la reconstrucción de una teoría de la acción donde la razón bajo la forma de deliberación práctica tiene el protagonismo en el descubrimiento de lo que debe ser hecho y en la consecución de la verdad... more
El hilo conductor de los textos es la reconstrucción de una teoría de la acción donde la razón bajo la forma de deliberación práctica tiene el protagonismo en el descubrimiento de lo que debe ser hecho y en la consecución de la verdad práctica. El libro aborda este ...