Why Aristotle is Not the Author of the Mechanical Problems

Thomas N. Winter (University of Nebraska)

That Aristotle is not the author does not, so far, rest on evidence, but on a priori supposition.  It, for instance “seems to belong” to Strato “or one of his pupils. (Ross, Sir David, Aristotle, 1923, p. 12).  Ross is following Jaeger, and Jaeger had no evidence either.  Just “seems to belong.”  And Farrington and Lloyd follow Ross.

The evidence is in Vitruvius.

1. Vitruvius had our Mechanical Problems:  Vitruvius summarizes them in the setting of his book on machines (10, chapter 3).  That he has our Mechanical Problems is unmistakable, for he includes simplified versions of the easier parts of Mechanical Problems 3, 4, 5, 6, 20, 26, 27, and extends the Mechanical Problems thesis to the machines of his own time:

As in all theses cases motion is obtained by means of right lines at the center and by circles, so also farm wagons, traveling carriages, [winch-] drums, mills, screws, scorpiones, ballistae, pressbeams, and all other machines produce the results intended on the same principles, by turning about a rectilinear axis and by the revolution of a circle (10.3.9 Morris Morgan., tr.)

2.  Vitruvius knew who the author was.  Vitruvius is the one to ask.  Though he does not name his source for 10, chapter 3,  fortunately, Vitruvius does name the author; unfortunately, the named author is in a list: Vitruvius had listed his sources for the topic of machines earlier, in Book 7, introduction 14. 

Aristotle is not on the list.

Vitruvius knows Aristotle as a writer of guidance to life, and cites him only twice, speaking at one point of the “rules Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Zeno, Epicurus, and other philosophers laid down for the conduct of human life.” (7 Introduction 2).  Similarly at 9, introduction 2:

What does it signify to mankind that Milo of Croton and other victors of his class were invincible?  Nothing....  But the doctrines of Pythagoras, Democritus, Plato, and Aristotle, and the daily life of other learned men, spent in constant industry, yield fresh and rich fruit...  to all nations. 

On grounds of 1) date, 2) Diogenes Laertius, and 3) elimination of impossibles, this paper will go on to claim the Mechanical Problems for one original mechanical genius on Vitruvius’ list.