Aristotle's De Interpretatione: Contradiction and Dialectic

246 Pages·1997·25.86 MB·English

by  C. W. A. Whitaker

ARISTOTLE'S DE INTERPRETATIONS
OXFORD ARISTOTLE STUDIES
General Editors
Julia Annas and Lindsay Juclson
Aristotle's
De Interpretatione
CONTRADICTION AND DIALECTIC
C. W. A. WHITAKER
CLARENDON PRESS • OXFORD
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ISBN 978-0-19-823619-1
Acknowledgements
I should like to express my deep gratitude to David Sedley and
Myles Burnyeat, the supervisors for my doctoral dissertation, out
of which this book arose. I am also most grateful to Lindsay Judson,
Ian Mueller, Sarah Broadie, Michael Frede, and Nick Denver for
their comments and criticism.
C.W.A.W.
Peterhouse, Cambridge
October 1995
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Contents
Abbreviations ix
Introduction i
1, The Title 5
2, Chapter i: Significant Utterances 8
1. Words, Thoughts, and Things 9
2. Truth and Falsehood 25
3, Chapters 2-3: The Name and Verb 35
1. The Structure of Chapters 2 and 3 35
2. Simple and Compound Words 37
3. Human Speech and Inarticulate Utterances 45
4, The Role of Names and Verbs in the Assertion 52
5, Indefinite Names and Verbs 61
6, Inflexions of Names and Verbs 67
4, Chapter 4: Phrases and Assertions 71
5, Chapter 5: Simple and Compound Assertions 74
6, Chapter 6: Contradictory Pairs 78
7, Chapter 7: The First Exception to RCP;
Singular and Universal Assertions 83
8, Chapter 8: The Second Exception to RCP;
Hidden Complex Assertions 95
1. Two Assertions Hidden in One 95
2. Unanswerable Questions;
The Dialectical Background 98
9, Chapter 9: The Third Exception to RCP;
Future Singular Assertions 109
1. The Argument for Fatalism 112
2. Aristotle's Solution and its Bearing on Dialectic "9
3. The Scholarly Debate 129
viii Contents
10. Chapter i o: Three Types of Assertions 132
1. The Composition of Assertions 132
2. TTie First Type of Assertions: "Man is" i35
3. Hie Second Type of Assertions: "Man is Just" i37
4. TTie Third Type of Assertions: "Man Walks" i43
5. Inferences, Negations, and Word Order 146
n. Chapter n: Sophistic Puzzles concerning Simple and
Complex Assertions 150
12. Chapter 12: Modal Assertions 156
13. Chapter 13: More on Modal Assertions 161
14. Chapter 14: Contrary Beliefs 171
15. Conclusion 178
Appendix I. The Principle of Contradiction in
Metaphysics F i%
1. First Principles 183
2. The Refutation Proof 186
3. The Definiteness of Signification 189
4. The Refutation Completed 196
Appendix II. The Substitution of Phrases for Words 204
Appendix III. Signification and Definition 209
1. The Problem of Definition 209
2. Aristotle's Solution 214
Bibliography 221
Index 229
Abbreviations
WORKS OF ARISTOTLE
APo. Posterior Analytics
APr. Prior Analytics
Cat. Categories
DeAn. De Anima
De Int. De Interpretatione
De Sensu De Sensu et Sensibilibus
EN Nicomachean Ethics
GA Generation of Animals
GC De Generatione et Corruptione
HA History of Animals
Mela. Metaphysics
PA Parts of Animals
Ph. Physics
Poet Poetics
Pol. Politics
Pmb, Problems
Prog. An. Progression of Animals
Rhet. Rhetoric
Rhet. ad Alex, Rhetoric to Alexander
SE Sophistici Elenchi
Top. Topics
WORKS OF PLATO
Ap. Apology
Crat, Cratylus
Gorg. Gorgias
Hipp, Maj, Hippias Major
Hipp, Min, Hippias Minor
Prat. Protagoras
Rep, Republic
Soph. Sophist
Symp. Symposium