Modalities in Medieval Philosophy

Originally published in 1993, Modalities in Medieval Philosophy looks at the idea of modality as multiplicity of reference with respect to alternative domains. The book examines how this emerged in early medieval discussions and addresses how it was originally influenced by the theological conception of God acting by choice. After a discussion of ancient modal paradigms, the author traces the interplay of old and new modal views in medieval logic and semantics, philosophy and theology. A detailed account is given of late medieval discussions of the new modal logic, epistemic logic, and the logic norms. These theories show striking similarities to some basic tenets of contemporary approaches to modal matters. This work will be of considerable interest to historians of philosophy and ideas and philosophers of logic and metaphysics.

List of contents

Preface  1. Modalities in Aristotle and Other Ancient Authors  2. Philosophical and Theological Modalities in Early Medieval Thought  3. Varieties of Necessity and Possibility in the Thirteenth Century  4. Fourteenth-Century Approaches to Modality  5. Medieval Discussions of Applied Modal Logic  Bibliography  Index of Names  Index of Subjects

About the author

Knuuttila, Simo

Summary

Originally published in 1993 Modalities in Medieval Philosophy looks at the idea of modality as multiplicity of reference with respect to alternative domains, and how this emerged in early medieval discussions and addresses how it was originally influenced by the theological conception of God acting by choice.

Product details

• Authors: Simo Knuuttila, Simo (University of Helsinki Knuuttila, Knuuttila Simo
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.12.2020
• EAN: 9780367151904
• ISBN: 978-0-367-15190-4
• No. of pages: 246
• Series: Routledge Library Editions: The Medieval World
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History; HISTORY / General, CE period up to c 1500, Medieval History, c 1000 CE to c 1500, History and Archaeology, Western philosophy: Medieval & Renaissance, c 500 to c 1600, Medieval Western philosophy