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On the Heavens (or De Caelo) is Aristotle
Aristotle

Aristotle was a Greeks philosopher, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. He wrote on many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, Poetics , theater, music, logic, rhetoric, politics, government, ethics, biology and zoology....
's chief cosmological treatise: it contains his astronomical theory. According to him, the heavenly bodies are the most perfect realities, (or "substances"), whose motions are ruled by principles other than those of bodies in the sublunary sphere
Sublunary sphere

The sublunary sphere is a concept derived from Greek astronomy. It is the region of the cosmos from the Earth to the Moon, consisting of the four classical elements: Earth , Water , Air , and Fire ....
. The latter are composed of one or all of the four classical element
Classical element

Many ancient philosophy used a set of archetype classical elements to explain patterns in nature. In this context, the word element refers to a chemical substance that is either a chemical compound or a mixture of chemical compounds , rather than a chemical element of modern physical science....
s (earth
Earth (classical element)

Earth, home and origin of humanity, has often been worshipped in its own right with its own unique spiritual tradition....
, water
Water (classical element)

Water has been important to all peoples of the earth, and it is rich in spiritual tradition....
, air
Air (classical element)

In traditional cultures, air is often seen as a universal power or pure substance. Its fundamental importance to life can be seen in words such as aspire, conspire, inspire, perspire, and spirit, all derived from the Latin spirare ....
, fire
Fire (classical element)

Fire has been an important part of many cultures and religions, from pre-history to modern day, and was vital to the development of civilization....
) and are perishable; but the matter the heavens are made of is imperishable aether
Aether (classical element)

According to ancient and History of science in the Middle Ages, aether , also spelled ?ther or ether, is the material that fills the region of the Universe above the Sublunary sphere....
, so they are not subject to generation and corruption
On Generation and Corruption

On Generation and Corruption , , also known as On Coming to Be and Passing Away) is a treatise by Aristotle. Like many of his texts, it is both scientific and philosophic ....
.






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On the Heavens (or De Caelo) is Aristotle
Aristotle

Aristotle was a Greeks philosopher, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. He wrote on many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, Poetics , theater, music, logic, rhetoric, politics, government, ethics, biology and zoology....
's chief cosmological treatise: it contains his astronomical theory. According to him, the heavenly bodies are the most perfect realities, (or "substances"), whose motions are ruled by principles other than those of bodies in the sublunary sphere
Sublunary sphere

The sublunary sphere is a concept derived from Greek astronomy. It is the region of the cosmos from the Earth to the Moon, consisting of the four classical elements: Earth , Water , Air , and Fire ....
. The latter are composed of one or all of the four classical element
Classical element

Many ancient philosophy used a set of archetype classical elements to explain patterns in nature. In this context, the word element refers to a chemical substance that is either a chemical compound or a mixture of chemical compounds , rather than a chemical element of modern physical science....
s (earth
Earth (classical element)

Earth, home and origin of humanity, has often been worshipped in its own right with its own unique spiritual tradition....
, water
Water (classical element)

Water has been important to all peoples of the earth, and it is rich in spiritual tradition....
, air
Air (classical element)

In traditional cultures, air is often seen as a universal power or pure substance. Its fundamental importance to life can be seen in words such as aspire, conspire, inspire, perspire, and spirit, all derived from the Latin spirare ....
, fire
Fire (classical element)

Fire has been an important part of many cultures and religions, from pre-history to modern day, and was vital to the development of civilization....
) and are perishable; but the matter the heavens are made of is imperishable aether
Aether (classical element)

According to ancient and History of science in the Middle Ages, aether , also spelled ?ther or ether, is the material that fills the region of the Universe above the Sublunary sphere....
, so they are not subject to generation and corruption
On Generation and Corruption

On Generation and Corruption , , also known as On Coming to Be and Passing Away) is a treatise by Aristotle. Like many of his texts, it is both scientific and philosophic ....
. Hence their motions are eternal and perfect, and the perfect motion is the circular one, which, unlike the earthly up- and down-ward locomotions, can last eternally selfsame. As substances, celestial bodies have matter (aether) and a form: it seems that Aristotle did regard them as living beings with a rational soul as their form (see also Metaphysics
Aristotelian view of God

File:Francesco Hayez 001.jpgThe Aristotelian and Neo-Aristotelian views of God have been very influential in Western intellectual history....
, bk. XII)

On the Heavens should not be confused with the spurious work On the Universe (De mundo, also known as On the Cosmos).

See also

  • Physics (Aristotle)
    Physics (Aristotle)

    Physics is a key text in the philosophy of Aristotle. It stands at the head of the current Andronicus of Rhodes order, the long series of Aristotle's physical, cosmological and biological works, and is foundational to them....
  • Aristotelian physics
    Aristotelian physics

    The Greek philosopher Aristotle developed many theories on the nature of physics. These involved what Aristotle described as the Classical element, as well as a variety of other principles that differ significantly from modern ideas about the laws of physics....


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