The phrase possible refers back to the Latin translation of “free will” (liberum arbitrium) and its connection to medieval thinker William of Moerbeke’s Latin translations of Aristotle, particularly these regarding ethics. Moerbeke, lively within the thirteenth century, was a prolific translator of Greek philosophical and scientific texts. His work considerably impacted the transmission of Aristotelian thought to the Latin West, influencing figures like Thomas Aquinas. Understanding the precise vocabulary Moerbeke utilized in translating key phrases about volition is essential for deciphering the nuances of Aristotelian ethics because it was obtained within the medieval interval.
Correct translation of complicated philosophical ideas is paramount. Moerbeke’s selection of Latin phrases formed how later students understood Aristotle’s concepts on free will, ethical duty, and the character of selection. These translations offered the muse for hundreds of years of philosophical debate and influenced the event of Western moral thought. Investigating the precise terminology employed in these translations illuminates the historic growth of those ideas and presents insights into the mental panorama of the Center Ages.
