Alexander of Aphrodisias on universals: two problematic texts
Phronesis 50 (1):43 - 55 (2005)
Abstract
Two texts that raise problems for Alexander of Aphrodisias' theory of universals are examined. "De anima" 90.2-8 appears to suggest that universals are dependent on thought for their existence; this raises questions about the status both of universals and of forms. It is suggested that the passage is best interpreted as indicating that universals are dependent on thought only for their being recognised as universals. The last sentence of "Quaestio" 1.11 seems to assert that if the universal did not exist no individual would exist, thereby contradicting Alexander's position elsewhere. This seems to be a slip resulting from the fact that species with only one member are the exception rather than the ruleDOI
10.1163/1568528053066979
My notes
Similar books and articles
The operator theory of instantiation.Peter Forrest - 2006 - Australasian Journal of Philosophy 84 (2):213 – 228.
Alexander of Aphrodisias's Account of Universals and Its Problems.Riin Sirkel - 2011 - Journal of the History of Philosophy 49 (3):297-314.
Platonism and the invention of the problem of universals.Lloyd P. Gerson - 2004 - Archiv für Geschichte der Philosophie 86 (3):233-256.
Boethius against universals: The arguments in the second commentary on Porphyry.Paul Vincent Spade - manuscript
Proof of the Existence of Universals—and Roman Ingarden’s Ontology.Ingvar Johansson - 2009 - Metaphysica 10 (1):65-87.
Analytics
Added to PP
2009-01-28
Downloads
43 (#274,261)
6 months
1 (#455,463)
2009-01-28
Downloads
43 (#274,261)
6 months
1 (#455,463)
Historical graph of downloads
Citations of this work
Alexander of Aphrodisias's Account of Universals and Its Problems.Riin Sirkel - 2011 - Journal of the History of Philosophy 49 (3):297-314.
Les sources post-hellénistiques du questionnaire de Porphyre.Gweltaz Guyomarc’H. - 2013 - Methodos. Savoirs Et Textes 13 (13).
Les sources post-hellénistiques du questionnaire de Porphyre.Gweltaz Guyomarc’H. - 2013 - Methodos 13.
Philosophy of the Ancient Commentators on Aristotle.Miira Tuominen - 2012 - Philosophy Compass 7 (12):852-895.
Five Views of definienda in Alexander’s Quaestiones 1.3 and 2.14.Matyáš Havrda - 2021 - Elenchos: Rivista di Studi Sul Pensiero Antico 42 (2):351-374.
References found in this work
Accidental unities.Gareth B. Matthews - 1982 - In M. Schofield & M. C. Nussbaum (eds.), Language and Logos. Cambridge University Press. pp. 223--240.
A New Fragment of Xenocrates and Its Implications.Muhsin Mahdi & Shlomo Pines - 1962 - Journal of the American Oriental Society 82 (3):391.
Forms, types, and tokens in Aristotle's.Deborah K. W. Modrak - 1979 - Journal of the History of Philosophy 17 (4):371-381.