The Doctrine of "minima naturalia" in the Commentaries on Aristotle’s "Physics" Attributed to Richard Rufus of Cornwall and Roger Bacon

This article examines the doctrine of "minima naturalia" (i.e., the smallest quantity of matter able to preserve the substantial form of a material substance) in three of the earliest extant Latin commentaries on Aristotle’s "Physics": the two traditionally ascribed to Roger Bacon (1214/1220–1292), i.e., "Questiones supra libros octo Physicorum Aristotelis" and "Questiones supra libros quatuor Physicorum Aristotelis", and the anonymous "In Physicam Aristotelis", which Rega Wood attributes to Richard Rufus of Cornwall (fl. 1231–1256). The position presented by Bacon in "Questiones supra libros octo Physicorum" displays striking similarities with the one adopted by the author of "In Physicam Aristotelis", but also important differences. Moreover, the fact that the view defended in "Questiones supra libros quatuor Physicorum" is openly rejected in "Questiones supra libros octo Physicorum" provides additional support to Silvia Donati’s hypothesis that the former is not an authentic work by Bacon.