Abstract
This article investigates the relationship between human and non-human animals in Aristotle’s thought, taking as main source his treatises on zoology and, among them, the History of animals. The major aim is to discuss in what extent it is possible to identify unavoidable traces of anthropocentrism in Aristotle, and, if so, in what terms this anthropocentrism is expressed. From the reading of different passages, and a philological analysis of certain verbs used by the philosopher, I argue that the anthropocentric aspect of Aristotle’s writings, although existing, can be nuanced, especially when some species - such as the sponge - are discussed by Aristotle. Thus, I conclude that Aristotle’s anthropocentric rhetoric appears more often when animals are analyzed together than as isolated species.
Keywords:
Aristotle; History of animals; Anthropocentrism