Systematically, it resembles other works of medieval logic, organised under the basic headings of the
AristotelianPredicables,
Categories,
terms,
propositions, and
syllogisms. These headings, though often given in a different order, represent the basic arrangement of scholastic works on logic.
This work is important in that it contains the main account of Ockham's
nominalism, a position related to the
problem of universals.
Book I. On Terms
Chapters 1–17 deal with terms: what they are, and how they are divide into categorematic, abstract and concrete, absolute and connotative, first intention, and second intention. Ockham also introduces the issue of universals here.
Chapters 18–25 deal with the five predicables of
Porphyry.
Chapters 26–62 deal with the
Categories of Aristotle, known to the medieval philosophers as the Praedicamenta in the latin translation of
Boethius. The first chapters of this section concern definition and description, the notions of subject and predicate, the meaning of terms like whole, being and so on. The later chapters deal with the ten Categories themselves, as follows: Substance (42–43), Quantity (44–49), Relation (50–54), Quality (55–56), Action (57), Passion (58), Time (59), Place (60), Position (61), Habit (62).
These 41 chapters are a systematic exposition of Aristotle's
Posterior Analytics.
Part III. On Consequences
The first 37 chapters of Part II are a systematic exposition of Aristotle's
Topics. In Part III, Ockham deals with the definition and division of consequences, and provides a treatment of Aristotle's Topical rules.[1] According to Ockham a consequence is a
conditional proposition, composed of two categorical propositions by the terms 'if' and 'then'. For example, 'if a man runs, then God exists' (Si homo currit, Deus est).[2] A consequence is 'true' when the
antecedent implies the
consequent. Ockham distinguishes between 'material' and 'formal' consequences, which are roughly equivalent to the modern
material implication and
logical implication respectively. Similar accounts are given by
Jean Buridan and
Albert of Saxony.
Part IV, in eighteen chapters, deals with the different species of fallacy enumerated by Aristotle in
Sophistical Refutations (De sophisticis elenchis).
Chapters 2-4 deal with the three modes of
equivocation.
Chapters 5-7 deal with the three types of
amphiboly.
Ockham's Theory of Terms : Part I of the Summa Logicae, translated and introduced by Michael J. Loux, University of Notre Dame Press, Notre Dame, IN, 1974. Reprinted, St. Augustine's Press, South Bend, IN, 1998.
Ockham's Theory of Propositions : Part II of the Summa Logicae, translated by Alfred J. Freddoso and Henry Schuurman and introduced by Alfred J. Freddoso, University of Notre Dame Press, Notre Dame, IN, 1980. Reprinted, St. Augustine's Press, South Bend, IN, 1998.
Longeway, John Lee (2007), Demonstration and Scientific Knowledge in William of Ockham, University of Notre Dame Press, Notre Dame, IN. A translation of Summa Logicae III-II : De Syllogismo Demonstrativo, with selections from the Prologue to the Ordinatio.
Boehner, P. (1952), Medieval Logic, Manchester University Press.
External links
Latin
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Systematically, it resembles other works of medieval logic, organised under the basic headings of the
AristotelianPredicables,
Categories,
terms,
propositions, and
syllogisms. These headings, though often given in a different order, represent the basic arrangement of scholastic works on logic.
This work is important in that it contains the main account of Ockham's
nominalism, a position related to the
problem of universals.
Book I. On Terms
Chapters 1–17 deal with terms: what they are, and how they are divide into categorematic, abstract and concrete, absolute and connotative, first intention, and second intention. Ockham also introduces the issue of universals here.
Chapters 18–25 deal with the five predicables of
Porphyry.
Chapters 26–62 deal with the
Categories of Aristotle, known to the medieval philosophers as the Praedicamenta in the latin translation of
Boethius. The first chapters of this section concern definition and description, the notions of subject and predicate, the meaning of terms like whole, being and so on. The later chapters deal with the ten Categories themselves, as follows: Substance (42–43), Quantity (44–49), Relation (50–54), Quality (55–56), Action (57), Passion (58), Time (59), Place (60), Position (61), Habit (62).
These 41 chapters are a systematic exposition of Aristotle's
Posterior Analytics.
Part III. On Consequences
The first 37 chapters of Part II are a systematic exposition of Aristotle's
Topics. In Part III, Ockham deals with the definition and division of consequences, and provides a treatment of Aristotle's Topical rules.[1] According to Ockham a consequence is a
conditional proposition, composed of two categorical propositions by the terms 'if' and 'then'. For example, 'if a man runs, then God exists' (Si homo currit, Deus est).[2] A consequence is 'true' when the
antecedent implies the
consequent. Ockham distinguishes between 'material' and 'formal' consequences, which are roughly equivalent to the modern
material implication and
logical implication respectively. Similar accounts are given by
Jean Buridan and
Albert of Saxony.
Part IV, in eighteen chapters, deals with the different species of fallacy enumerated by Aristotle in
Sophistical Refutations (De sophisticis elenchis).
Chapters 2-4 deal with the three modes of
equivocation.
Chapters 5-7 deal with the three types of
amphiboly.
Ockham's Theory of Terms : Part I of the Summa Logicae, translated and introduced by Michael J. Loux, University of Notre Dame Press, Notre Dame, IN, 1974. Reprinted, St. Augustine's Press, South Bend, IN, 1998.
Ockham's Theory of Propositions : Part II of the Summa Logicae, translated by Alfred J. Freddoso and Henry Schuurman and introduced by Alfred J. Freddoso, University of Notre Dame Press, Notre Dame, IN, 1980. Reprinted, St. Augustine's Press, South Bend, IN, 1998.
Longeway, John Lee (2007), Demonstration and Scientific Knowledge in William of Ockham, University of Notre Dame Press, Notre Dame, IN. A translation of Summa Logicae III-II : De Syllogismo Demonstrativo, with selections from the Prologue to the Ordinatio.
Boehner, P. (1952), Medieval Logic, Manchester University Press.
External links
Latin
Wikisource has original text related to this article: