Forms and Concepts (eBook)

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Christoph Helmig, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany.

A word of thanks 11
Introduction 13
1. ‘How comes the mind to be furnished?’ 13
2. Survey of recent literature 17
3. Structure and contents of this study 21
I. Concepts – (ancient) problems and solutions 25
1. What is a concept? 25
2. The relevance of concepts in ancient epistemological debates 36
3. Different models of concept acquisition in antiquity 41
4. Forms and concepts & problematic concepts
II. Plato on learning as recollection 51
1. Forms and concepts 51
1.1. The role of concepts in Plato 51
1.2. Forms, concepts, language 53
2. The Parmenides and the archaeology of conceptualism 57
2.1. Concepts as ‘one over many’ 57
2.2. Refuting conceptualism? 60
2.3. Conclusion 63
3. The Meno on the different stages of recollection 64
3.1. The transition from opinion (doxa) to knowledge 64
3.2. Conclusion 68
4. The Phaedo on the necessity of innate knowledge 69
4.1. The deficiency argument (Phaedo 72e–77a) 69
4.2. The continuity between Meno and Phaedo 76
5. The Phaedrus on acquiring universal concepts 77
5.1. Recollection and concept attainment (Phaedrus 249b–c) 77
5.2. Forms, concepts, language again 82
5.3. Conclusion 83
6. Concept formation and concepts in the Timaeus, Theaetetus, and Sophist 83
6.1. Recollection in Plato’s later works 83
6.2. Innateness and the structure of the human soul 85
7. The limits of recollection 90
7.1. Some problematic concepts 90
7.2. Recollection and error 95
8. Forms, concepts, and recollection 96
III. Aristotle’s reaction to Plato 99
1. Aristotle and his teacher Plato 99
1.1. A strange couple 99
1.2. Aristotle’s arguments against innate knowledge 100
2. The origin and nature of mathematical concepts 102
2.1. Concepts and the division of sciences 102
2.2. A troublesome emendation 104
2.3. Abstraction and the qua-operator 108
2.4. Aristotelian and Platonic separation 110
2.5. Mathematical objects and concepts 112
2.6. Linking abstractionM and induction? 120
3. Universal concepts – induction (epagoge) and its different domains 123
3.1. A general definition of induction 124
3.2. Induction and its different domains 125
3.3. The language of induction 126
3.4. Different kinds of induction in Aristotle 128
3.4.1. Induction in dialectical and rhetorical practice 128
3.4.2. Digression: likeness and the charge of circularity 131
3.4.3. Induction in ethics and natural science 133
3.4.4. The troublesome case of ‘complete’ or ‘perfect induction’ 134
3.5. Induction and the starting points of syllogism 137
4. Induction of first principles (Posterior Analytics II 19) 140
4.1. Introduction 140
4.2. What is the object of Analytica Posteriora II 19? 141
4.3. Articulation and summary of the argument 144
4.4. The relation of sense perception and intellect 146
IV. Three case studies: Alcinous, Alexander & Porphyry, and Plotinus
1. Alcinous between empiricism and recollection 153
1.1. The doctrine of the doxastic logos 154
1.2. Alcinous’ psychology 156
1.3. Empiricism vs. innate knowledge 159
2. Alexander of Aphrodisias & Porphyry on abstraction and universals
2.1. Alexander – elaborating Aristotle’s notion of abstraction 167
2.2. Neoplatonic readings of Alexander 169
2.3. Immanent forms, definitional natures, and universal concepts 173
2.4. A unitary theory of intellect? 176
2.5. Porphyry – an abstractionist malgré lui? 183
2.6. The ‘short commentary’ on Aristotle’s Categories 184
2.7. The epistemological digression in the commentary on Ptolemy 187
3. Plotinus – ‘Wegbereiter’ of Syrianus and Proclus 196
3.1. The doctrine of the twofold nature of the logoi (I): logoi as criteria in perceptual judgements 198
3.2. The doctrine of the twofold nature of the logoi (II): logoi as causes in matter 203
3.3. Plotinus on innate knowledge and recollection 207
V. Syrianus’ and Proclus’ attitude towards Aristotle 217
1. Amicus Aristoteles, sed 217
2. Syrianus’ and Proclus’ criticism of induction and abstraction 220
2.1. Criticizing abstracted universals 221
2.2. Who is the target of Syrianus’ and Proclus’ criticism? 231
VI. The crucial role of doxastic concepts in Proclus’ epistemology 235
1. Proclus on sense perception and phantasia 237
1.1. Place and character of sense perception 237
1.2. Olympiodorus on the ambiguity of sense perception 239
1.3. Proclus on phantasia 240
1.4. Phantasia and geometry 242
1.5. Resume: sense perception, phantasia, and concept formation 243
2. An innovation by Proclus: his theory of doxa 244
2.1. Unfair to Proclus? – Alleged inconsistencies in his theory of doxa 244
2.2. More recent studies on Proclus’ theory of doxa 245
2.3. Digression: doxa in Plato and Aristotle 252
2.4. Proclus on doxa and innate knowledge 255
2.5. Proclus on doxastic concepts (logoi doxastikoi) 266
2.6. Doxa correcting sense perception 272
VII. Proclus’ Platonic theory of concept attainment 275
1. The soul and its innate knowledge 276
1.1. The discursive nature of soul: Proclus on dianoia 276
1.2. Dianoia and the logoi of the soul 277
1.3. Sources of Proclus’ doctrine of the psychic logoi 280
1.4. Common notions and psychic logoi 282
2. The triad of recollection: forgetting – articulation – probole 284
2.1. Recollection after Aristotle 284
2.2. Forgetting 286
2.3. Articulation (diarthrosis) 290
2.3.1. The sources: Plato, Aristotle, the Stoics, and Middle Platonism 290
2.3.2. The Anonymous in Theaetetum (AT) 294
2.3.3. Articulation: talent and error 296
2.3.4. Proclus on articulation 298
2.4. Probole 301
2.4.1. Meaning and translation 302
2.4.2. Probole and geometry 307
2.4.3. Résumé 311
3. Proclus on learning and the acquisition of concepts 311
3.1. Concept formation and the Platonic dialogue 312
3.2. Recollection as an intentional act of the soul 316
3.3. Different stages of recollection 317
3.4. Different kinds of concepts 321
3.5. A difficult passage 325
3.6. Recollection and error 329
3.7. Problematic concepts 337
VIII. Plato and Aristotle in harmony? – Some conclusions 347
Bibliography 355
1. Editions and translations 355
2. Secondary literature 367
Indices 393
1. Index nominum 393
2. Index locorum 395
3. Index rerum 402

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"It is books like this one that are, in my opinion, revitalizing the study of the major works of the canon of ancient philosophy."
Lloyd Gerson in: BMCR 2013.05.19