The Modal Logic of John Fabri of Valenciennes (c. 1500): A Study in Token-Based Semantics

This monograph explores the relationship between modal logic and the Wegestreit,the divide between the via antiqua and via moderna in 15th- and 16th-century logic. It argues that John Fabri of Valenciennes' modal logic is closely related to the work of John Buridan, challenging the notion that Louvain was a bastion of via antiqua logic. The book is aimed at graduate students and researchers in logic and philosophy, as well as intellectual historians and historians of ideas.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 113 pages
Publication date: 04 May 2022
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This monograph stands as the pioneering exploration into the realm of modal logic at the dawn of the Renaissance, presenting invaluable fresh perspectives on the interconnectedness of the debates surrounding modal logic during the post-medieval era with the renowned Wegestreit, the division between the via antiqua and via moderna that dominated the discourse on logic during the 15th and early 16th centuries. The central focus of this book lies in the examination of the logic and philosophy of language articulated by John Fabri of Valenciennes, a prominent figure who represented the last bastion of the terminist approach to logic, a philosophy that faced vehement criticism from the humanist movement. Through meticulous reconstruction of Fabri's text, the book makes a compelling argument that Fabri's modal logic ultimately traces its origins back to the work of John Buridan, aligning with the modal logics developed by adherents of the via moderna in Paris. This revelation holds profound implications for the historiography of post-medieval philosophy. Fabri's intellectual pursuits took place in the vibrant intellectual hub of Louvain, which, until the late 16th century, held the esteemed status of being the most significant intellectual center in the Low Countries. A longstanding tradition within scholarship asserts that Louvain served as one of the few strongholds of via antiqua logic on the map of post-medieval Europe. However, this book challenges this notion by presenting evidence that suggests it is, at least in part, a scholarly fabrication, necessitating a revision of this perspective. By shedding light on an author whose thought has thus far remained entirely unstudied, this work constitutes a significant stride toward the development of a comprehensive history of philosophy that lacks any gaps. While this book is primarily designed to cater to graduate students and researchers engaged in the study of logic and philosophy, it will also hold immense appeal to intellectual historians, historians of ideas, and contemporary modal logicians who are eager to trace the historical roots of their discipline.

Weight: 197g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030988012
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022