Aristotle's biology 



cussion, it must not be supposed that it is its 

 material composition to which attention is 

 being directed or which is the object of the 

 discussion, but the relation of such part to the 

 total form. Similarly, the true object of archi- 

 tecture is not bricks, mortar, or timber, but the 

 house; and so the principal object of natural 

 philosophy is not the material elements, but 

 their composition, and the totality of the 

 form, independently of which they have no 

 existence." '^ 



So the concrete part or element, or possibly 

 the individual animal, presents small intellec- 

 tual interest by itself, but only as it contributes 

 to the whole and exhibits the beautiful design. 

 Aristotle examines individuals to discover their 

 common attributes; for his real interest leaps 

 to the group. And so he continues immediately 

 after the last words quoted from him: " The 

 course of exposition must be first to state the 

 attributes common to whole groups of animals, 

 and then to attempt to give their explanation," 

 That is to say, we have first to describe the 

 phenomena presented by each group, and 

 afterwards state the causes of those phenomena 

 and deal with their coming into existence. 



There is law and purpose behind the forma- 



[49] 



