Francesco Verde - Böcker

This book deals with some Aristotelian philosophers of the Hellenistic Age, ranging from Theophrastus of Eresus to Cratippus of Pergamum. The problem of knowledge, the question of time, and the doctrine of the soul are investigated by comparing these Peripatetics’ views with Aristotle’s philosophy, and above all by setting their doctrines within the broader framework of post-Aristotelian and Hellenistic philosophies (the Old Academy, Epicureanism, and Stoicism).

No comprehensive volume of scholarly studies has ever been devoted entirely to De signis/On Signs, a work of considerable importance by the Epicurean philosopher Philodemus of Gadara (1st century BCE) partially preserved in the Herculaneum library (PHerc. 1065). The present collection of multilingual essays seeks to fill this gap. De signis is one of the most important texts for reconstructing the Hellenistic debate between Epicureans and Stoics concerning inference from signs. It is a document of exceptional importance for the reconstruction of the history of Epicureanism and its doctrinal developments too, and above all, for a detailed understanding of crucial aspects of both Epicurean and Stoic epistemology and theories of language. A serious historical-philosophical reconstruction of Hellenistic epistemologies cannot afford to overlook this work by Philodemus. The present volume is organised into four parts. Part I (Papyrological and Literary Aspects) examines Philodemus’ treatise from both papyrological and philological-literary perspectives. Part II (Sign-Inference) explores the theoretical core of De signis: inference from signs. Part III (Key Concepts and Specific Topics) scrutinises some of the fundamental concepts in De signis, alongside specific topics addressed in the treatise that help to further clarify its challenging columns. Part IV (Historical Context and Reception) addresses the historical and cultural context to which De signis belongs, as well as its ancient and modern reception (for instance, by Charles S. Peirce).

The first monograph entirely devoted to the Epicurean doctrine of minimal parts. The Epicurean doctrine of minimal parts (ta elachista) is a crucial aspect of Epicurus's philosophy and a genuine turning point compared to the ancient atomism of Leucippus and Democritus. This book consists of three chapters: a philological and theoretical analysis of the primary sources (Epicurus and Lucretius) of the doctrine, a reconstruction of its likely historical background (Xenocrates, Aristotle, Diodorus Cronus), and a close examination of the chiefly geometrical development of this theory within the philosophical school of Epicurus. The critical examination of ancient sources (including several Herculaneum Papyri), combined with a careful analysis of the secondary literature, reveals the very significant role played by minimal parts within the Epicurean science of nature. This is the first monograph entirely devoted to the study of this important doctrine in all its historical and theoretical breadth. Questo volume esamina la dottrina epicurea dei minimi (ta elachista) che rappresenta un nodo cruciale della filosofia di Epicuro e un autentico punto di svolta rispetto all'atomismo di Leucippo e Democrito. Il libro è organizzato in tre capitoli dedicati rispettivamente: (1) all'analisi filologica e teorica delle fonti primarie (Epicuro e Lucrezio), (2) alla ricostruzione del contesto storico-filosofico a cui la dottrina dei minimi verosimilmente fa riferimento (Senocrate, Aristotele e Diodoro Crono), e, infine, (3) all'approfondimento dello sviluppo della teoria dei minimi in ambito prevalentemente geometrico all'interno della scuola di Epicuro. L'esame critico delle fonti antiche (che riguardano anche alcuni Papiri Ercolanesi), anche attraverso l'attenta analisi della letteratura secondaria, conferma il ruolo decisivo giocato dai minimi nella scienza della natura epicurea. Si tratta della prima monografia interamente consacrata allo studio di questa significativa dottrina in tutta la sua ampiezza storica e teorica. This publication is GPRC-labeled (Guaranteed Peer-Reviewed Content).

Epicureanism is not only a defence of pleasure: it is also a philosophy of science and knowledge. This edited collection explores new pathways for the study of Epicurean scientific thought, a hitherto still understudied domain, and engages systematically and critically with existing theories. It shows that the philosophy of Epicurus and his heirs, from antiquity to the classical age, founded a rigorous and coherent conception of knowledge. This first part of a two-volume set examines more specifically the contribution of Epicureanism in the fields of language, medicine, and meteorology (i.e., celestial, geological and atmospheric phenomena).Offering a renewed image of Epicureanism, the book includes studies on the nature of human language and on the linguistic aspects of scientific discourse; on the relationship between Epicureanism and ancient medicine, from Hippocrates to Galen; on meteorological phenomena and the method of explaining them; and on the reception of Epicurus's legacy in Gassendi.Contributors: Julie Giovacchini (CNRS, Paris), Francesca Masi (Universita Ca' Foscari Venezia), Dino De Sanctis (Universita degli Studi della Tuscia), Chiara Rover (Universitat Hamburg/MCAS), Enrico Piergiacomi (Universitat Zurich), David Leith (University of Exeter), Vincenzo Damiani (Universitat Ulm), David Konstan (New York University), Voula Tsouna (UC Santa Barbara), Jurgen Hammerstaedt (Universitat zu Koeln), Craig Martin (Universita Ca' Foscari Venezia), Frederik Bakker (Radboud Universiteit)