Aristotle's Modal Syllogistic

Marko Malink

Published by Harvard University Press 2013

Aristotle's Modal Syllogistic

Marko Malink

https://doi.org/10.4159/harvard.9780674726352

Overview
Contents

About this book

Aristotle was the founder not only of logic but also of modal logic. In the Prior Analytics he developed a complex system of modal syllogistic which, while influential, has been disputed since antiquity--and is today widely regarded as incoherent. Combining analytic rigor with keen sensitivity to historical context, Marko Malink makes clear that the modal syllogistic forms a consistent, integrated system of logic, one that is closely related to other areas of Aristotle's philosophy. Aristotle's modal syllogistic differs significantly from modern modal logic. Malink considers the key to understanding the Aristotelian version to be the notion of predication discussed in the Topics--specifically, its theory of predicables (definition, genus, differentia, proprium, and accident) and the ten categories (substance, quantity, quality, and so on). The predicables introduce a distinction between essential and nonessential predication. In contrast, the categories distinguish between substantial and nonsubstantial predication. Malink builds on these insights in developing a semantics for Aristotle's modal propositions, one that verifies the ancient philosopher's claims of the validity and invalidity of modal inferences. While it acknowledges some limitations of this reconstruction, Aristotle's Modal Syllogistic brims with bold ideas, richly supported by close readings of the Greek texts.

Author / Editor information

Malink Marko :

Marko Malink is Associate Professor of Philosophy and Classics at New York University.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Acknowledgments Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	ix
Abbreviations of Aristotle’s Works Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	xi
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
I. The Assertoric Syllogistic
1. Categorical Propositions Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	19
2. The dictum de omni Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	34
3. The Orthodox dictum Semantics Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	45
4. The Heterodox dictum Semantics Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	63
5. The Preorder Semantics Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	73
6. Ecthesis Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	86
II. The Apodeictic Syllogistic
7. The Apodeictic dictum de omni Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	103
8. Barbara NXN and the Four Predicables Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	114
9. Categories in the Topics Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	134
10. Essence Terms and Substance Terms Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	152
11. Universal Negative Necessity Propositions Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	168
12. Particular Necessity Propositions Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	177
III. The Problematic Syllogistic
13. Modal Opposition Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	191
14. Establishing Inconcludence Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	211
15. A Deductive System for the Modal Syllogistic Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	223
16. The Validity of XQM-Moods Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	232
17. Two-Sided Possibility Propositions Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	248
18. One-Sided Possibility Propositions Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	261
Appendix A: Aristotle’s Claims of Validity, Invalidity, and Inconcludence Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	273
Appendix B: The Predicable Semantics of the Modal Syllogistic Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	286
Appendix C: Aristotle’s Terms Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	326
Bibliography Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	337
Index of Names Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	349
Index of Passages Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	353
Index of Subjects Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	361

Language: English
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Audience: General/trade;
Pages
- Main content: 384
Illustrations
- Other: 46 line illustrations, 18 tables

eBook

Published: November 1, 2013
ISBN: 9780674726352