what is the ancient definition of nature?

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what is the ancient definition of nature? Anonymous 12/25/15 (Fri) 04:32:33 53ec84 No.2961

ive been reading ancient works lately and they quite frequently refer to nature without defining it. in what work do they receive their definition of nature from? to be specific, im looking at Plato, Aristotle, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, and Socrates.

Anonymous 12/25/15 (Fri) 05:56:04 53ec84 No.2963

>Nature is a concept with two major sets of inter-related meanings, referring on the one hand to the things which are natural, or subject to the normal working of "laws of nature", or on the other hand to the essential properties and causes of those things to be what they naturally are, or in other words the laws of nature themselves.

>How to understand the meaning and significance of nature has been a consistent theme of discussion within the history of Western Civilization, in the philosophical fields of metaphysics and epistemology, as well as in theology and science. The study of natural things and the regular laws which seem to govern them, as opposed to discussion about what it means to be natural, is the area of natural science.

>The word "nature" derives from Latin nātūra, a philosophical term derived from the verb for birth, which was used as a translation for the earlier Ancient Greek term phusis which was derived from the verb for natural growth, for example that of a plant. Already in classical times, philosophical use of these words combined two related meanings which have in common that they refer to the way in which things happen by themselves, "naturally", without "interference" from human deliberation, divine intervention, or anything outside of what is considered normal for the natural things being considered.

>Understandings of nature depend on the subject and age of the work where they appear. For example Aristotle's explanation of natural properties differs from what is meant by natural properties in modern philosophical and scientific works, which can also differ from other scientific and conventional usage.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature_%28philosophy%29

Anonymous 12/25/15 (Fri) 05:59:56 53ec84 No.2964

>>2963

>Understandings of nature depend on the subject and age of the work where they appear.

i understand that and is why i was asking if any of them describe their definition of nature in any of their works. you source cites aristotle so thats pretty helpful. the historical context, while not what i was looking for, is also helpful.

Anonymous 12/25/15 (Fri) 06:44:42 53ec84 No.2967

>The Physics (from physis, Greek for "nature") is Aristotle's principal work on nature. In Physics II.1, Aristotle defines a nature as "a source or cause of being moved and of being at rest in that to which it belongs primarily".[1] In other words, a nature is the principle within a natural raw material that is the source of tendencies to change or rest in a particular way unless stopped. For example a rock would fall unless stopped.

Anonymous 12/25/15 (Fri) 06:44:56 53ec84 No.2968

>>2964

>>2967