CLASSICS 108A: Logic, Language, and Material Text in the Aristotelian Tradition (PHIL 108A, PHIL 208A)

Course Description

This course investigates the interplay of logic, language, and material textual practices in the Aristotelian tradition. Focusing on selected passages from De Interpretatione, Prior Analytics, Posterior Analytics, the Topics, Metaphysics, and the Rhetoric, we explore how the structure and interpretation of Aristotle's arguments are shaped not only by abstract logical form, but also by syntactic cohesion, negation strategies, and patterns of sentence structure. We examine how these forms are rendered visible and manipulable in diagrams, editorial interventions, and the organization of compendia.