Papers by Daniel Devereux
BRILL eBooks, 2009
This chapter begins by raising questions about Sefrin-Weis' claim that the pros hen relation,... more This chapter begins by raising questions about Sefrin-Weis' claim that the pros hen relation, as applied to being, does not involve logical dependence. It explains that Aristotle conceives of the pros hen relation as involving the definitional priority of a primary signification of a term (e.g., 'healthy' as applied to an organism) to various secondary significations (e.g., 'healthy' as applied to types of food), and in this way it does involve logical dependence. Then the chapter tries to show that, contrary to Sefrin-Weis' claim, the pros hen relation, as Aristotle understands it, does involve content; since it involves a relation among definitions or accounts of a term, it necessarily involves some content. The chapter concludes with some reflections about the priority of ousia to other kinds of beings, and Aristotle's famous claim that the study of being is the study of ousia . Keywords: Aristotle; Sefrin-Weis
Catholic University of America Press eBooks, Apr 25, 2018
Catholic University of America Press eBooks, Apr 25, 2018
Proceedings of the Boston Area Colloquium of Ancient Philosophy, 2004
The Philosophical Review, Oct 1, 1992
The Philosophical Review, Vol. 101, No. 4 (October 1992) The Unity of the Virtues in Plato's... more The Philosophical Review, Vol. 101, No. 4 (October 1992) The Unity of the Virtues in Plato's Protagoras and Laches Daniel T. Devereux Perhaps the most striking of the Socratic paradoxes is the claim that being a good person is strictly a matter of the intellect. As Aristotle remarks, Socrates ...
Review of Metaphysics, Aug 1, 1986
DANIEL T. DEVEREUX-ttLristotle thought his predecessors in general, and Plato in par ticular, mad... more DANIEL T. DEVEREUX-ttLristotle thought his predecessors in general, and Plato in par ticular, made a serious mistake in failing to mark the boundaries separating the different sciences and branches of philosophical in quiry. All of them failed to grasp the ...
Journal of the History of Philosophy, 1977
Oxford University Press eBooks, Sep 2, 2011
Systematic political thought in ancient Greece begins with Plato, and quickly reaches its zenith ... more Systematic political thought in ancient Greece begins with Plato, and quickly reaches its zenith in the rich and complex discussions in Aristotle's Politics. The political theories of both philosophers are closely tied to their ethical theories, and their interest is in questions concerning constitutions or forms of government. Herodotus sketches a fascinating debate by proponents of three forms of government: democracy, monarchy, and oligarchy. In Euripides' Suppliant Maidens, there is a debate between Theseus, champion of Athenian democracy, and a messenger from Creon, ruler of Thebes. Among Plato's predecessors there was a tradition of political thought and debate, but he was the first Greek thinker to undertake a careful, systematic analysis of fundamental questions in political philosophy. This article discusses Socrates' influence on Plato. It then looks at Plato's masterpiece, the Republic, and considers his model of an ideal constitution. It concludes with a discussion of Aristotle's complex and sophisticated analysis of political constitutions.
The Philosophical Review, Jul 1, 1997
Aristotle's teaching on the subject of happiness has been a topic of intense philosophical de... more Aristotle's teaching on the subject of happiness has been a topic of intense philosophical debate in recent years. Did he hold that happiness consists of the exercise of all the virtues, moral and intellectual, or that supreme happiness is to be found only in the practice of philosophical contemplation? The question is vital to the relevance of his ethics today. Anthony Kenny helped to set the terms of the debate a quarter of a century ago. Later, in his book The Aristotelian Ethics (Clarendon Press, 1978), he argued that Aristotle's Eudemian Ethics has no less claim than the better-known Nicomachean Ethics to be taken as a late and definitive statement of Aristotle's position. In this new book he refines his view of the relationship between the two treatises and shows how to reach a consensus on the interpretation of the texts. Aristotle's admirers struggle to read a comprehensive account of the supreme happiness into the Nicomachean Ethics; Dr Kenny argues that those who are prepared to take the neglected Eudemian Ethics with equal seriousness are able to presrve their admiration intact without doing violence to any of the relevant texts.
Transaction Books, 1992
( Classical Humanities, Volume V Edited by .William W. Fortenbaugh and ьDimitri Gutas Theophrastu... more ( Classical Humanities, Volume V Edited by .William W. Fortenbaugh and ьDimitri Gutas Theophrastus of Eresus was Aristotle's pupil and successor as head of the Peripatetic School. He Is best known as the author of the amusing ...
The Modern Schoolman, 2003
Journal of the History of Philosophy, 2016
This study of Plato’s hypothetical method is a more than welcome addition to the literature on ph... more This study of Plato’s hypothetical method is a more than welcome addition to the literature on philosophical method in Plato’s middle dialogues. Benson’s study is remarkable for unusual care and thoroughness in the development of its arguments, and the fairness of its treatment of rival interpretations. One can safely predict that future work on the topic will have to come to grips with his arguments and original interpretations. Benson begins with a careful analysis of the brief descriptions of the method in Meno and Phaedo, then examines its application there and in relevant Republic passages. Benson finds the method a way of conducting what he calls ‘de novo inquiry’ aimed at acquiring knowledge. In Meno the method is introduced through Meno’s challenge: how can one inquire into something if one starts from ignorance. According to Benson, in the “elenctic” dialogues, Socrates attempts to refute his interlocutors to determine whether they have knowledge he could learn. Once the interlocutors are shown to lack knowledge, we might expect Socrates to propose joint inquiry, but this does not happen. In Meno, it happens: once Meno sees that he is in the same state of ignorance as Socrates, Socrates proposes a joint inquiry. In response to Meno’s paradox, Socrates first introduces anamnēsis to show how such inquiry is possible, and then proposes the method of hypothesis (borrowed from the geometers) as a way of conducting such inquiry. Thus Meno progresses beyond the elenctic dialogues. Benson’s approach to explaining the method differs from what one usually encounters; he distinguishes between its description and its applications. Socrates’s description in Meno is simply: one “reduces” one’s original question to a second question such that the answer to the second provides an answer to the first. The description itself does not tell us what the hypothesis is that we are “investigating from,” nor does it say anything about a second, more fundamental hypothesis (116–29). Before looking at how the method is used in Meno, Benson turns to Phaedo and gives a similar analysis of 100a3–8 and 101d1–e3. A fundamental “hypothesis” guiding Benson’s approach is that the same method is described in Meno and Phaedo. He thus sees Phaedo as filling out the sketchy, cryptic description in Meno. The fuller description has two stages (151–52). Proof Stage : (i) Identify a second question such that its “most compelling” answer will provide an answer to the initial question; (ii) show how the answer to the second question provides an answer to the initial question. This stage corresponds to the description in Meno. Confirmation Stage: (i) Test the things that follow (the hormēthenta) from the first hypothesis for consistency; (ii) identify a second “most compelling” hypothesis from which the first hypothesis can be derived, and continue this process until “something adequate” (hikanon) is reached. Benson then examines applications of the method to clarify how it works. In the proof stage of Meno, the hypothesis that virtue is knowledge is identified, and how it answers the question whether virtue is teachable is shown. The confirmation stage has two parts: first, Socrates identifies a second hypothesis, that virtue is good, and shows how this provides support for the first; then he examines what follows from the first hypothesis. If virtue is knowledge, it is teachable; if teachable, there will be teachers and learners; but there are Book Reviews
Routledge eBooks, Oct 23, 2013
Preface Abbreviations Encyclopedia articles A-Z A Chronological Outline of Classical Philosophy A... more Preface Abbreviations Encyclopedia articles A-Z A Chronological Outline of Classical Philosophy A Guide to Bibliography Index List of Consultants
Cambridge University Press eBooks, May 5, 2015
Éditions du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique eBooks, 1990
Ethics udth Aristotle is a terrific book. Although it discusses a standard range of topics (happi... more Ethics udth Aristotle is a terrific book. Although it discusses a standard range of topics (happiness, virtues and parts of the soul, the voluntary, practical wisdom, incontinence, pleasure, and Aristode's values), Broadie's treatment of these topics, and others that
Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy, 1994
Journal of the History of Philosophy, 1977
... And it is precisely the addition of wisdom which makes boldness into the virtue of courage. 6... more ... And it is precisely the addition of wisdom which makes boldness into the virtue of courage. 6 The distinctive feature of the virtues, as 6 Cf. 88a6-8 with 88c5-d1; also Aristotle,Nicomachean Ethics 1144b1-17. Page 4. 132 HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY ...
Journal of the History of Philosophy, 1995
Is it not necessary for all men to consider self-mastery [~fxOdxeta ] the foundation of virtue, a... more Is it not necessary for all men to consider self-mastery [~fxOdxeta ] the foundation of virtue, and to train their souls first and foremost in this? (Xenophon, Memorabilia I 5,4) Virtue [Tugend] is fortitude in relation to the forces opposing a moral attitude of will in us.
Oxford University Press eBooks, Sep 2, 2009
Plato's dialogues form the basis of Socratic Ethics and Moral Psychology. Among Plato's t... more Plato's dialogues form the basis of Socratic Ethics and Moral Psychology. Among Plato's thirty-five dialogues there is a group of eleven or twelve that share certain features setting them apart from the rest. In these dialogues, which are considerably shorter than the others, Socrates always has the role of questioner. The questions he discusses are mostly about specific virtues and how they are related to each other: for example, piety is discussed in the Euthyphro, courage in the Laches, temperance in the Charmides, and justice and temperance in the Gorgias. A major theme of Socratic dialogues is Socrates' opposition to the “sophists,” a varied lot with different interests and claims to fame who shared certain characteristics that justified their common designation. Socrates debates the issue, if virtue is an art or skill that involves knowing what is truly good and evil, the virtuous person should be able to “size up” a situation and determine, as to what sort of action is called for to resolve a particular situation.
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Papers by Daniel Devereux