Aristotle's Modal Logic
Essence and Entailment in the Organon

This 1995 book argues that a proper understanding of Aristotle's modal logic requires an appreciation of its connection to the metaphysics.

Richard Patterson (Author)

9780521451680, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 26 May 1995

304 pages, 3 b/w illus.
23.7 x 16.1 x 2.7 cm, 0.6 kg

"...an important book....His study gives a useful survey of different interpretations of controversial questions about Aristotle's modal syllogistic logic." Leo J. Elders, The Review of Metaphysics

Aristotle's Modal Logic, first published in 1995, presents an interpretation of Aristotle's logic by arguing that a proper understanding of the system depends on an appreciation of its connection to the metaphysics. Richard Patterson develops three striking theses in the book. First, there is a fundamental connection between Aristotle's logic of possibility and necessity, and his metaphysics, and that this connection extends far beyond the widely recognised tie to scientific demonstration and relates to the more basic distinction between the essential and accidental properties of a subject. Second, Aristotle's views on modal logic depend in very significant ways on his metaphysics without entailing any sacrifice in rigour. Third, once one has grasped the nature of the relationship, one can understand better certain genuine difficulties in the system of logic and appreciate its strengths in terms of the purposes for which it was created.

1. Introduction
2. The Basic Modal Proposition
3. Syllogisms with Two Necessity Premises
4. Mixed syllogisms: One Assertoric and One Necessity Premise
5. Two-way possibilities: some basic preliminaries
6. Two-way possibility syllogisms
7. Aristotle's perfect syllogisms
8. Principles of construction.

Subject Areas: Western philosophy: Ancient, to c 500 [HPCA]