Aristotle’s Nature-Bound Theology in _Metaphysics_ Λ

In Metaphysics , Aristotle appeals to the prime mover: an unmoved mover that is the first moving cause of the world.Elsewhere, he calls the science concerned with the prime mover 'theology ' (Meta.E.1, 1026a19).But what is the point of this science?On a common view, its purpose is to give an account of the prime mover itself, and especially to prove its existence.By contrast, I argue that Aristotle's theology in Metaphysics is 'nature-bound': it ultimately aims at explaining facts about the perceptible world, in particular, the motion of heavenly bodies and the cycle of generation of perishable substances.