A Note on Bošković’s Distinction between Two Kinds of Velocities

• Main Author: Boris Koznjak
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Society for the Advancement of Philosophy 2003-06-01
• Series: Prolegomena
• Subjects: Bošković; velocity in the first act (velocitas in actu primo); potential velocity (velocitas potentialis); velocity in the second act (velocitas in actu secundo); actual velocity (velocitas actualis); Aristotle; potentiality; actuality; motion; calculus
• Online Access: http://www.hrstud.hr/prolegomena/Pro-2003-1/Pro-2003-1-Clanci-Koznjak.pdf

Bošković’s distinction between two kinds of velocities (duo velocitatum genera) – velocity in the first act (velocitas in actu primo), or potential velocity (velocitas potentialis), and velocity in the second act (velocitas in actu secundo), or actual velocity (velocitas actualis) – is considered in respect to the concept of instantaneous velocity as defined by calculus differentialis. Contrary to the seeming inconsistency of Bošković’s duality of velocities and the concept of instantaneous velocity, due to a critical examination of logical and methodological foundations of the calculus, the article shows that the duality of velocities is consistent with the interpretations of instantaneous velocity given by Oresme, Euler and Maclaurin, as with the definition of instantaneous velocity according to the rigorous Cauchyan founding of the calculus. Bošković’s duality of velocities is also shown to be consistent with Aristotelian-scholastic doctrine of potentiality and actuality, especially in its domain related to the nature of continuous motion.