Authorship in the Popular "Problemata Aristotelis"

Abstract

AbstractThis article examines the complex fortuna of the "Problemata Aristotelis" which circulated widely in early modern Europe in a textual tradition independent of the better-known ancient problems attributed to Aristotle. A study of the editions of this text (designated "Omnes homines") and its various add-ons, spanning four languages (Latin, German, French and English) and four centuries (late 15th-19th centuries), brings to light the otherwise obscure editorial practices that fueled its remarkable success. The authority of the text rests at first on its presentation of a collective wisdom, then on bolder claims for the authenticity of its alleged Aristotelian authorship.