Page:Greek Biology and Medicine.djvu/71

 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]