This volume studies the origin and evolution of philosophical interest in Aristotle's Categories, and illuminates the earliest arguments for Aristotle's approach to logic as the foundation of higher education.

English summary: In describing Augustine's doctrine of grace, Volker Henning Drecoll considers three requirements of modern Augustinian research which have received little attention from those studying the doctrine of grace up to now. He analyzes the significance of Manichaeism for Augustine, discusses the influence of Neoplatonism on Augustine's doctrine of grace and wonders whether Augustine was influenced more strongly by Porphyry than by Plotinus. He also looks for the core of Augustinian thought which led to the development of the doctrine (...) of grace. He succeeds in showing that Augustine's doctrine of grace is rooted in the structure of the Augustinian concept of God and was prompted by the critical analysis of Manichaeism. German description: Volker Henning Drecoll stellt die Entstehung von Augustins Gnadenlehre dar. Dabei fragt er danach, welche geistigen Stromungen Augustin bei der Entwicklung seiner Gnadenlehre bestimmt haben. Hat der Manichaismus Augustin stark beeinflusst oder hat er sich von ihm distanziert? Welche Rolle spielte der Neuplatonismus bei der Entstehung von Augustins Gnadenlehre? Und wie stark berucksichtigte er die Lehren von Plotin und Porphyrius? Volker Henning Drecoll geht diesen Fragen nach und forscht nach dem inhaltlichen Kern in Augustins Denken, der zur Entwicklung der Gnadenlehre gefuhrt hat.Der in der Forschung bislang ubliche Verweis auf die Erkenntnislehre (Illuminationstheorie) erklart nicht das spezifisch augustinische Pofil der Gnadenlehre, wie sie zum Beispiel in Ad Simplicianum I,2 zum Ausdruck kommt. Daher analysiert Volker Henning Drecoll De vera religione, die erste Schrift, in der der Begriff 'gratia' eine Rolle spielt sowie die fruhen Schriften zur Paulusexegese. Dabei zeigt sich, dass Augustins Gnadenlehre von der Struktur des augustinischen Gottesbegriffes abhangig ist und durch die Auseinandersetzung mit dem Manichaismus in kritischer Reflexion Plotins hervorgerufen wurde. Die in der Forschung bislang immer wieder aufgestellte Behauptung, die Confessiones veranschaulichten Augustins Gnadenlehre, lasst sich dadurch uberhaupt erst nachweisen. Dabei wird auch deutlich, dass Augustin mit den Confessiones den in Ad Simplicianum I,2 eingeschlagenen Weg weitergeht. (shrink)

Depuis le milieu du XIXe siecle, on a generalement considere qu'un cycle de sept disciplines scolaires (grammaire, dialectique, rhetorique, musique, astronomie, geometrie et arithmetique), connu au Moyen Age sous le nom des sept arts liberaux, avait constitue la base de l'instruction habituelle et cela depuis l'epoque hellenistique jusqu'a l'epoque imperiale et au Moyen Age. Cette these, largement vulgarisee par le livre Histoire de l'education dans l'Antiquite d'Henri-Irenee Marrou, est fondamentalement remise en question dans le present ouvrage, qui montre que ce (...) fameux cycle des sept arts, que l'on croyait deja connu par Varron au Ier siecle avant J.-C., est ne en realite dans le neoplatonisme et n'a jamais constitue le programme d'education des jeunes gens de rang social eleve au cours de l'Antiquite. Cette nouvelle edition comprend des notes additionnelles au texte prealablement publie, un reexamen de la question varronienne qui tient compte de publications parues entre 1983 et 2003 (B. Cardauns, N. Cipriani, J. Doignon et D. Shanzer), et six articles sur certains themes fondamentaux traites dans la premiere edition, comme l'enseignement des mathematiques et de la medecine a l'epoque imperiale, l'organisation de l'enseignement philosophique, l'attitude des philosophes a l'egard du savoir encyclopedique ou la signification du terme eclectique dans la philosophie antique. (shrink)

The Introduction to philosophy written by Porphyry at the end of the second century AD is the most successful work of its kind ever to have been published. Porphyry's aim was modest, but he gave highly influential treatments of a number of perennial philosophical questions. Jonathan Barnes presents a complete new English translation, preceded by a substantial introduction and followed by an invaluable commentary, the first to be published in English and the fullest for a century, whose primary aim is (...) to analyse and assess the philosophical theses and arguments which the Introduction puts forward. (shrink)

Phillip Cary argues that Augustine invented or created the concept of self as an inner space--as space into which one can enter and in which one can find God. This concept of inwardness, says Cary, has worked its way deeply into the intellectual heritage of the West and many Western individuals have experienced themselves as inner selves. After surveying the idea of inwardness in Augustine's predecessors, Cary offers a re-examination of Augustine's own writings, making the controversial point that in his (...) early writings Augustine appears to hold that the human soul is quite literally divine. Cary goes on to contend that the crucial Book 7 of the Confessions is not a historical report of Augustine's "conversion" experience, but rather an explanation of his intellectual development over time. (shrink)

v. 1. Psychology (with ethics and religion) -- v. 2. Physics -- v. 3. Logic and metaphysics.

The Introduction to philosophy written by Porphyry at the end of the second century AD is the most successful work of its kind ever to have been published. It was translated into most respectable languages, and for a millennium and a half every student of philosophy read it as his first text in the subject. Porphyry's aim was modest: he intended to explain the meaning of five terms, 'genus', 'species', 'difference', 'property', and 'accident' - terms which he took to be (...) important to Aristotelian logic and metaphysics, and hence to philosophy in general. Thus in principle the Introduction is simple and elementary. In fact, there are sometimes difficulties and doubts on the surface of the text - and beneath the surface there are frequent depths or profundities. The work raises, directly or indirectly, a number of perennial philosophical questions. In addition, the Introduction became, in Boethius's Latin translation, the point of reference for one of the longest-lasting of philosophical disputes - the dispute over the status of 'universals'.This book contains a new English translation of the Introduction, preceded by a study of the life and works of Porphyry, the purpose and nature of the Introduction, and the history of the text. It is accompanied by a discursive commentary the primary aim of which is to analyse and assess the philosophical theses and arguments which the Introduction puts forward. The twentieth century turned away from Aristotelian logic, and the Introduction lost its position on the syllabus. Barnes does not argue that it should be put back in its old place; but his commentary - the first to be published in English, and the fullest to be published for a century - suggests that there is blood in the old man yet. CLARENDON LATER ANCIENT PHILOSOPHERSGeneral Editors: Jonathan Barnes and A. A. Long This series, which is modelled on the familiar Clarendon Aristotle and Clarendon Plato series, is designed to encourage philosophers and students of philosophy to explore the fertile terrain of later ancient philosophy. The texts range in date from the first century BC to the fifth century AD, and will cover all the parts and all the schools of philosophy. Each volume contains a substantial introduction, an English translation, and a critical commentary on the philosophical claims and arguments of the text. The translations aim primarily at accuracy and fidelity; but they are also readable and accompanied by notes on textual problems that affect the philosophical interpretation. No knowledge of Greek or Latin is assumed. (shrink)