The Craftsman Within: Emergent Powers and Downward Causation in Ancient Medical and Peripatetic Theories
Public support
Provider
Czech Science Foundation
Programme
Standard projects
Call for proposals
SGA0202600001
Main participants
Filosofický ústav AV ČR, v. v. i.
Contest type
VS - Public tender
Contract ID
26-23465S
Alternative language
Project name in Czech
The Craftsman Within: Emergent Powers and Downward Causation in Ancient Medical and Peripatetic Theories
Annotation in Czech
The project will explore various types of emergentist theories in antiquity, with a particular focus on the Peripatetic tradition and Galen. It will do so in view of three questions: (1) What is the connection between emergence and the final cause? Is goal a prerequisite of the generation of natural and psychic powers? (2) Is downward causative power (such as the power to form bodies or move voluntarily) an intrinsic feature of emergent properties or does it access them from the “outside”? And if it is an intrinsic feature, does it belong to all emergent properties or only to some, and how so? (3) Do “scientific” and “philosophical” interpretations of the relationship between bodily states and psychic and natural powers in antiquity represent different forms of the same causal model, or alternative models, perhaps even mutually incompatible? The results will include annotated translations and/or exegetical and interpretive studies of Galen's pharmacological, embryological, and psychological treatises, Alexander of Aphrodisias' works on the soul, and Theophrastus' writings on plants.
Scientific branches
R&D category
ZV - Basic research
OECD FORD - main branch
60301 - Philosophy, History and Philosophy of science and technology
OECD FORD - secondary branch
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OECD FORD - another secondary branch
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CEP - equivalent branches <br>(according to the <a href="http://www.vyzkum.cz/storage/att/E6EF7938F0E854BAE520AC119FB22E8D/Prevodnik_oboru_Frascati.pdf">converter</a>)
AA - Philosophy and religion
Solution timeline
Realization period - beginning
Jan 1, 2026
Realization period - end
Dec 31, 2028
Project status
Z - Beginning multi-year project
Latest support payment
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Data delivery to CEP
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data delivery code
CEP26-GA0-GA-R
Data delivery date
Apr 27, 2026
Finance
Total approved costs
5,620 thou. CZK
Public financial support
5,620 thou. CZK
Other public sources
0 thou. CZK
Non public and foreign sources
0 thou. CZK