Faculty Member, Philosophy
Thesis Title: Metaphysical and Explanatory Implications of Aristotle's Elements in On Generation and Corruption
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Mitzi Lee
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About
AOS: Ancient Greek Philosophy
AOCs: Medieval Philosophy, Early Modern Philosophy, Metaphysics, Logic, Ethics
My current research focuses on Aristotle's theory of matter. In particular, I'm interested in answering two big questions: (1) what is the simplest or most basic kind of matter found in Aristotle, and (2) what is the relationship between this kind of matter and more complex entities? My answers to these questions are taking me on a journey into the uncharted waters of Book II of On Generation and Corruption, and in answering these questions, I'm looking at a lot of exciting concepts in Aristotle, including prime matter, the elements, the potential/actual distinction, natural teleology, and hypothetical necessity.
I'm currently working on a modest set of papers related to these topics, including:
(i) a paper that lays out the interpretative puzzle for the matter that underlies the elements;
(ii) a paper that considers the question of whether or not the elements are really substances/what on earth their ontological status is, if not;
(iii) a paper that proposes a new take on Aristotle's account of potentiality in Metaphysics Theta, and how this can help us understand the elements;
(iv) a paper on Aristotle's account of "chemical mixture" (which, on my view, isn't really a mixture, but some other kind of result.)
...Someday, I'm going to write a book on Aristotle's mereology, and it will be awesome.
When I'm not teaching or researching philosophy, I enjoy fixing and riding bikes. (My current photo is from the time I rode a century on a single speed road bike.) My bike is, in fact, a real-life Bike of Theseus. It's pretty amazing.
...I really need to update this thing more often.
