On Breath
The treatise investigates relationships between breath, vital heat, respiration and bodily functions. Physiological explanations are examined through problems rather than assembled into one consistently unified doctrine.
Understanding the text
This corpus text is generally regarded as later than Aristotle; it should not be confused with On Respiration.
Transmitted under Aristotle’s name; personal authorship is disputed or rejected.
Key points
- 01
Vital breath
Pneuma has an explanatory role corresponding neither simply to inhaled air nor to an immaterial soul.
- 02
Organs
Connections between respiratory channels, movement and nutrition are tested through ancient anatomical models.
- 03
Difficulties
Internal objections expose limitations in proposed mechanisms and the critical activity of a medical tradition.
How to read it
Compare what pneuma means in each passage before relating the text to other biological treatises.
Editions & sources
Summaries and key points are original editorial interpretations. They accompany reading the work and do not replace an edition of the text. Editorial method ↗