MS xxxx: Medieval Theories of Language and Logic
(Thursdays, 11- 12:40, MA AND PhD, 2 credits)
Instructor: György Geréby (Room Nádor 11. 205)
E-mail: gerebygy@ceu.hu
Office Hours:
Friday 15:30 – 17:30 or by appointment
Short course description: The class will cover basic issues of the linguistic and logical theories
of the Latin Middle Ages, beginning with the theory of signs of Augustine, and then following up the issues of
speculative grammar through the mature logical theories of High Scholasticism. The issues which became
characteristic of the philosophical paradigm of the Latin West had been forged at the universities between 1100
to 1500. Philosophy (meaning science) relied heavily on linguistic and semantic presuppositions, a reinterpreted heritage of late antiquity, a development which was motivated by difficult theological issues that
challenged the received conceptual structures, and required new solutions to traditional problems. The new
analytic conceptual methods (like the theories of significatio, suppositio, propositio, and some semantic aspects
of syllogistic) allowed the analysis to venture beyond the received ancient wisdom and lead to innovative
questions. Far from being simply "Aristotelian" or "Platonic", the new developments were problem-oriented,
often going well beyond the auctoritates. The class will investigate topics in their intellectual context and
reconstruct their inner logic, focusing on the presuppositions and consequences of various strategies. Not all
issues can be covered in one semester, but we will certainly and primarily look at the three-tiers theory of
language and semantics, the foundations of the ‘linguistic turn’ of scholasticism; the problem of sophisms and
paradoxes, and to the logical background of concepts like omnipotence, omniscience and their paradoxes. The
class will present an overview of the history of the main solutions to the problems in an outline, but will be
primarily concerned with the intelligibility of the issues, that is with the analysis of the problems involved,
including historical methodology.
Learning objectives: to understand the functioning of basic terms and ideas of medieval linguistic
and semantic theories, and the basic conceptual frameworks of these areas employed throughout the Latin
Middle Ages (and even later). To achieve familiarity with the fundamental authors, and the developments they
represented in the history of linguistic and sematic theories (logica vetus, logica nova, logica modernorum).
Finally, to get a feel for the significance and importance of logic in analytic theological discourse, The linguistic
science (scientia sermocinalis) logica vetus et logica nova, (terministic logic), logica moderna
Learning outcomes: Familiarity with key issues and terms of medieval logic: Porphyrian
semantics, semantic representation, meaning and reference, significatio, suppositio, connotatio, universals,
speculative grammar, modi significandi (and its criticism), medieval logical syntax, entia rationis, primae et
secundae intentiones, properties of terms, nominalism / realism, Porphyrian semantics, intuitive and abstractive
knowledge, sensible and intelligible species, complexe significabile, enuntiabile, dictum propositionis
significatio propositionis (sentential reference), the meaning and the unity of propositions, modi essendi and
modi praedicandi, and the intellectus verus / falsus,).
Requirements: Elective for doctoral and MA students. For the participtants it is required to attend
the course and participate in the discussions during classes, based on the weekly readings. These items will be
the subject of the two in-class tests. Required and additional readings are listed separately.
The texts will be read in English. Latin is not required, but can be of help.
Grading: Grading is based on participation (25%), a class journal, about 500-550 words every week to
be submitted to the above email address by Wednesday noon each week about the class(es) of the previous
1
week (25%), and 2 in-class tests (25% + 25%). The class journals should contain I. an outline of the most
important points of the class, II. issues of the readings, III. questions and problems.
Course details:
1. Introduction: Historiography. Origins: the late antique heritage
Reading: Ebbesen, S. ‘Philoponus, 'Alexander' and the origins of medieval logic.’ In: Sorabji, R., ed.
Aristotle transformed. The ancient commentators and their influence. London: Duckworth, 1990, 445-461.
Recommended readings: Spade, Paul Vincent. ‘Recent research on medieval logic.’ Synthese 40 (1):3 18 (1979)
Broadie, A. Introduction to medieval logic. Second edition. Oxford, 2003.
2. The heritage of Late Antiquity II. Porphyry.
Reading: Porphyry. ‘The five words.’ in: Barnes, J. Porphyry, Introduction. Oxford, 2003. 3-19.
Ebbesen, S. 'Porphyry's Legacy to Logic' in: Sorabji, R. Aristotle Transformed. The Ancient Commentators and their
Influence. Cornell University Press, 1990. 141-172.
Recommended readings: Barnes, J. Porphyry, Introduction. Oxford, 2003.
3. Augustine and the new problems.
Reading: Augustine, On Christian Doctrine bk. 2 and bk. 3.
Recommended readings:
Jackson, Darrell B., Pinborg, J. Augustine: De dialectica. Dordrecht and Boston: Springer, 1975. Synthese
Historical Library, 16. Text: 82-121.
4. The earlier period (until the twelfth c.).
Reading: Tweedale, M., ‘Logic (i) : From the late eleventh century to the time of Abelard.’ in: Dronke,
P. ed. A History of Twelfth-Century Western Philosophy. Cambridge UP., 1992
, 196-226.
Jacobi, K. ‘Logic (ii) : The later twelfth century.’ in: Dronke, 227-251
5. The medieval “Porphyrian semantics”. Porphyrian semantics of terms.
Readings: Aristotle. Perihermeneias c.1.; Augustine. De Trinitate, bk.15., c.10. n.19; c.12. n.22.;
ch.27. n. 50. cf. Ockham. Summa Logicae 1.1.
Recommended readings: Spade, P.V. Thoughts, words and things.
6. The medieval “Porphyrian semantics” II. Suppositions and higher order terms. Introduction to
propositions.
Readings: Broadie, Categorical propositions.
Peter of Spain: On distribution. in: Schoedinger
Spade, P.V. ‘Ockham on first and second impotion’
FIRST IN-CLASS TEST
7. Speculative grammar.
Reading: Fredborg, K.M. Speculative grammar. In: Dronke, P., ed., A history of twelfth century
philosophy. Cambridge: CEP, 1988, 177- 195.
Recommended readings:
Bursill-Hall, G.L., ed., Grammatica speculativa of Thomas of Erfurt. An edition with translation and
commentary by G.L. Bursill-Hall. London: Longman, 1972. The Classics of Linguistics.
Pinborg, J., Speculative grammar. In: CHLMPh, 254-269.
8. Logic and ontology. Nominalism and realism.
Readings: Rijk, L.-M. de, The semantical impact of Abaelard’s solution to the problem of the universals.
Recommended readings:
2
9. Mental language.
Reading: Ashworth, E.J. ‘The structure of the mental language: Some problems discussed by early
sixteenth century logicians.’ in: Ashworth, E.J. Studies in Post-Medieval Semantics. London: Variorum, 1985.
Ashworth, E.J. ‘Mental language and the unity of the proposition.’ in: Ashworth, E.J. Studies in Post-Medieval
Semantics. London: Variorum, 1985.
Recommended readings:
van de Lecq, R. 'Mental language: a Key to Understand Buridan's Semantics.' http://www.phil.uu.n1/lecq (Accessed 18 January 2003)
10. Late medieval logic.
Reading: Spade, P.V., Late medieval logic. In: Marenbon, J., ed. Medieval philosophy. London:
Routledge, 1998, 402-425.
Recommended readings:
CHLMPh ch. Ch.V.
11. Propositions and their unity.
Readings:Pinborg, J. ‘Walter Burley on the proposition.’
Ashworth, E. J. ‘Theories of the proposition: Some early sixteenth century discussions.” in:
Recommended readings:
12. Sophismata.
Reading: Article “Sophismata” from the Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy
Recommended reading: Buridan, Sophisms
SECOND IN-CLASS TEST
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