Aristotle's Modal Proofs (eBook)

Prior Analytics A8-22 in Predicate Logic

Adriane Rini (Autor)

eBook Download: PDF

2010 | 2011
VI, 246 Seiten
Springer Netherland (Verlag)
978-94-007-0050-5 (ISBN)

Infos

Aristotle's modal syllogistic is his study of patterns of reasoning about necessity and possibility. Many scholars think the modal syllogistic is incoherent, a 'realm of darkness'. Others think it is coherent, but devise complicated formal modellings to mimic Aristotle's results. This volume provides a simple interpretation of Aristotle's modal syllogistic using standard predicate logic. Rini distinguishes between red terms, such as 'horse', 'plant' or 'man', which name things in virtue of features those things must have, and green terms, such as 'moving', which name things in virtue of their non-necessary features. By applying this distinction to the Prior Analytics, Rini shows how traditional interpretive puzzles about the modal syllogistic melt away and the simple structure of Aristotle's own proofs is revealed. The result is an applied logic which provides needed links between Aristotle's views of science and logical demonstration. The volume is particularly valuable to researchers and students of the history of logic, Aristotle's theory of modality, and the philosophy of logic in general.

Adriane Rini received an A.B. in philosophy at Smith College, and a Ph.D. at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She is the author of numerous articles on the history of modal logic. In 2003, she was awarded a Marsden Grant from the Royal Society of New Zealand for her research on Aristotle's logic. Subsequently, she has been working on a book, together with M.J. Cresswell, about the world-time parallel. In 2010, Rini is working on a project on the development of Quine's attitude to modal logic, for which she has been awarded a four month fellowship from the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts. Rini has taught at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, the University of California-Davis, Texas A&M University, Victoria University Wellington, and at Massey University, where she is currently a senior lecturer in philosophy.

Inhalt

ARISTOTLE’S MODAL PROOFS 6
Acknowledgements 7
Note on the translations: 7
Introduction 8
Part I MODERN METHODS FOR ANCIENT LOGIC 15
Chapter 1 The Non-Modal Syllogistic: An.Pr. A1–7 16
Chapter 2 The Assertoric Syllogistic in LPC 26
Chapter 3 A Realm of Darkness 37
Chapter 4 Technicolour Terms 44
Chapter 5 Representing the Modals 50
Part II NECESSITY IN THE SYLLOGISTICAn. Pr. A8– 12 66
Chapter 6 Syllogizing in Red: Trivializing the Modals 67
Chapter 7 First Figure Mixed Apodeictic Syllogisms 76
Chapter 8 Modal Conversion in the Apodeictic Syllogistic: An.Pr. A9 11 83
Chapter 9 Against the Canonical Listings 99
Chapter 10 Apodeictic Possibility 110
Part III CONTINGENCY IN THE SYLLOGISTICAn. Pr. A13– 22 120
Chapter 11 Contingency (A13, A14) 121
Chapter 12 Realizing Possibilities 137
Chapter 13 Barbara XQM1 148
Chapter 14 First Figure X+Q (A15) 159
Chapter 15 First Figure L+Q, Q+L (A16) 171
Chapter 16 Contingency in the 2nd Figure (A17 19) 182
Chapter 17 Contingency in the 3rd Figure (A20 22 ) 196
Chapter 18 Summary and Conclusion 219
Appendix: The LPC Framework 234
Bibliography 240
Index 243

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 13.12.2010
• Reihe/Serie: The New Synthese Historical Library
• Reihe/Serie: The New Synthese Historical Library
• Zusatzinfo: VI, 246 p.
• Verlagsort: Dordrecht
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Philosophie ► Allgemeines / Lexika
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Philosophie ► Geschichte der Philosophie
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Philosophie ► Logik
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Philosophie ► Philosophie Altertum / Antike
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Philosophie ► Philosophie der Neuzeit
• Schlagworte: Ancient logic • Aristotle • Modal syllogistic • Predicate logic • Prior Analytics
• ISBN-10: 94-007-0050-4 / 9400700504
• ISBN-13: 978-94-007-0050-5 / 9789400700505