解读植物世界:泰奥弗拉斯特对植物“部分”的探究

To understand the Plant Kingdom: Theophrastus’ Inquiry into the Parts of Plant

泰奥弗拉斯特是古希腊著名的哲学家、博物学家。承袭导师亚里士多德的动物研究理论,他对地中海地区的植物展开了系统探究,完成存世研究著作《植物志》及《植物成因》;是史上公认的"植物学之父"。"部分"的概念来源于亚里士多德的动物研究,也是泰奥弗拉斯特植物研究中的核心内容。通过综合功能、外形、生长位置等各方面差异,他对植物的部分进行划分,并细致地分析了植物部分的物质组成,构建出符合植物自身特性的构造体系。对植物部分的探究是泰奥弗拉斯特全面认识植物本质特征的重要途径之一,通过他的努力,植物开始作为理性研究对象被人类所认识,植物世界也逐渐展现出其内在规律。

Theophrastus is a famous philosopher and naturalist from ancient Greece.Following Aristotle’s animal research theories,he conducted a systematic study of Pan-Mediterranean plants and completed two preserved research works:Historia Plantarum and De Causis Plantarum,because of which he was considered as"the Father of Botany"in the western tradition.The concept of"part"originated directly from Aristotle’s study of animal and it was also one of the major concerns of Theophrastus’botanical inquiry.By synthesizing the differences of plant in function,shape,arrangement and so forth,he divided parts of plant,carefully analyzed their matter composition,and constructed the structural system in accordance with the characteristics of the plant.Inquiring into parts of plant is one of the most important approaches to explore plants’nature in Theophrastus’work.Thanks to his efforts,plants start to be known by human beings as an object of rational study and the plant kingdom showed its innate laws gradually.