Mechanization of Nature: Matter, Body, and Motion in Blasius of Parma’s Physics

Henrik Lagerlund, Ph.D. (1999), Uppsala University, is Professor of the History of Philosophy at Stockholm University. He has published several books and articles on Medieval and Renaissance philosophy, including Interpreting Buridan: Critical Essays (2024) and Skepticism in Philosophy: A Comprehensive, Historical Introduction (2020).Sylvain Roudaut, Ph.D. (2017), University of Rennes, is Senior Researcher at the CNRS (SPHERE, Paris). His research focuses on the interaction between philosophy, science, and mathematics in the Latin and Arabic traditions in the Middle Ages. He published La mesure de l’être (2021) and Hylomorphism into Pieces: Elements, Atoms, and Corpuscles in Natural Philosophy and Medicine, 1400–1600 (2024).Erik Åkerlund, Ph.D. (2011), Uppsala University, is Lecturer in Philosophy at The Newman Institute, Uppsala (Sweden). He has a research focus on 15th to 17th century philosophy, especially natural philosophy but also extending to political philosophy. His articles include “Chrysostom Javellus and Francis Silvestri on Final Causation” (2024) and “Models of Finality: Aristotle, Buridan, and Averroes” (2023).Robert Andrews, Ph.D. (1988), Cornell University, was Associate Professor at The Franciscan Institute of St. Bonaventure University and is now associate of the Centre for Medieval Studies, Stockholm University. Published volumes include Robert Greystones on Certainty and Skepticism with Mark Henninger and Jennifer Ottman (2020) and several co-edited volumes of B. Ioannis Duns Scoti Opera philosophica (1997-2004).

• List of FiguresPrefaceIntroductionInterpretive Essays1 Scales and Weights: Introducing Mechanics in Natural PhilosophySylvain Roudaut2 Causality and Causal Powers in Blasius of Parma’s PhysicsJoël Biard3 Blasius of Parma on Motion in the Sublunary WorldHenrik Lagerlund, Sylvain Roudaut and Erik Åkerlund4 Condensation and Rarefaction in Blasius’ PhysicsErik Åkerlund5 Blasius of Parma’s Account of Artifacts in the PhysicsHenrik Lagerlund6 The Role and Scope of Analytical Languages in Blasius’ Natural PhilosophySylvain RoudautEdition: Blasius Pelacanus de Parma Quaestiones super VIII libros PhysicorumDescription of the ManuscriptsRobert Andrews1 Liber II q. 1: Utrum domificator in faciendo domum faciat aliquid rebus naturalibus condistinctum2 Liber II q. 2: Utrum quodlibet res naturalis habeat in se principium motus et quietis3 Liber II q. 7 Utrum ad cuiuscumque rei naturalis generationem praeter particulare agens requiratur influxus causae universalis, quae causa universalis dicitur sol4 Liber II q. 8 Utrum inter agentia particularia, supposita semper generali influentia superiorum, possit qualitas una vel plures formam substantialem producere5 Liber IV q. 2 Utrum entia naturalia distantia ab eorum locis naturalibus moveantur ad illa impedimentis subtractis6 Liber IV q. 3 Utrum corpora naturalia appetant moveri ad eorum loca naturalia per lineas breviores7 Liber IV q. 7 Utrum rarefactio sit possibilis8 Liber V, q. 1 Utrum agens naturale, hora qua agit in passum, agat in ipsum secundum se totum et quamlibet eius partemBibliographyIndex