Vita in motu: Leonardo Polo’s Philosophy of Biology.

This article examines Leonardo Polo’s philosophy of biology through the principle vita in motu, arguing that, from Polo’s perspective, it is perhaps the most fundamental claim of Aristotle’s philosophical biology. Life can only exist and be sustained through change and modification. Polo contrasts l...

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Publicado en:Studia Poliana no. 28; pp. 49 - 75
Autor principal: GARCÍA-VALDECASAS, MIGUEL
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Studia Poliana 2026
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Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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        atl: Vita in motu: Leonardo Polo’s Philosophy of Biology.
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        au: GARCÍA-VALDECASAS, MIGUEL
        affil: Universidad de Navarra Proyecto Mente-Cerebro Instituto Cultura y Sociedad University of California, Berkeley Anthropology and Art Practice Building.
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        Life (Biology)
        Aristotle, 384-322 B.C.
        Ancient philosophers
        Philosophers
        Life sciences
        Praxis (Process)
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          Life (Biology)
          Aristotle, 384-322 B.C.
          Ancient philosophers
          Philosophers
          Life sciences
          Praxis (Process)
      keyword:
        Causality
        Energeia
        Life
        Philosophy of Biology
        Polo
        Teleology
        Causalidad
        Filosofía de la Biología
        Teleología
        Vida
      ab:
        This article examines Leonardo Polo’s philosophy of biology through the principle vita in motu, arguing that, from Polo’s perspective, it is perhaps the most fundamental claim of Aristotle’s philosophical biology. Life can only exist and be sustained through change and modification. Polo contrasts life’s processes with kine¯sis, or transitive change, and suggests that living beings distinguish themselves by their pra¯xis teleia –immanent, self-regulating activity guided by intrinsic ends. By reanalyzing the four Aristotelian causes, Polo reinterprets the psyche¯ as a formal potency manifested through processes like growth, differentiation, and regulatory unity– exemplified singularly by the genetic code.
        Este artículo examina la filosofía de la biología de Leonardo Polo a través del principio vita in motu, quizá la tesis más fundamental de la biología filosófica de Aristóteles. La vida solo puede existir y mantenerse mediante procesos de cambio y transformación. Polo contrasta los procesos vitales con la kine¯sis, o movimiento transitivo, y sugiere que los seres vivos se distinguen por su pra¯xis teleia: una actividad inmanente y regulada desde el interior. Al reanalizar las cuatro causas aristotélicas, Polo reinterpreta la psyche¯ como una potencia formal que se manifiesta a través de procesos como el crecimiento, la diferenciación y la unidad reguladora –entre los cuales el código genético es ejemplo elocuente.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
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      src: R
    language: English
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