The Syro-Persian Reinvention of Aristotelianism: Paul the Persian’s Treatise on the Scopes of Aristotle’s Works between Sergius of Rēš‘aynā, Alexandria, and BaghdadStudia Graeco-ArabicaSyriaca.org: The Syriac Reference PortalThe National Endowment for the HumanitiesThe International Balzan Prize FoundationDavid A. Michelsoncbsc_adminRecord added to Zotero bycbsc_adminSyriaca.org: The Syriac Reference Portalhttp://syriaca.org/cbss/9J58DK6A/tei
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CREATED: This bibl record was autogenerated from a Zotero record.MatthiasPerkamsThe Syro-Persian Reinvention of Aristotelianism: Paul the Persian’s Treatise on the Scopes of Aristotle’s Works between Sergius of Rēš‘aynā, Alexandria, and Baghdadhttp://syriaca.org/cbss/9J58DK6Ahttps://www.zotero.org/groups/a_comprehensive_bibliography_on_syriac_studies/items/9J58DK6Ahttps://www.zotero.org/groups/4861694/items/9J58DK6AStudia Graeco-Arabica92019129-146This article discusses anew the sources of the treatise by Paul the Persian on the scopes of the writings of Aristotle, transmitted by Miskawayh. A whole row of different sources can be identified: The Syriac Long commentary on the Categories by Sergius’ of Rēšʿaynā as well as different Greek works, including obviously Philoponus’ commentary on the Physics, a commentary on the Analytica priora similar to David and Elias and an introduction into logics which resembles a passage in Boethius. Paul probably knew Greek and spent time in a Greek context, where he could collect so many different works. Paul arranged his material in an original way and supplemented points left open by Greek authors. Formally, he introduces a very consequent binary division of entities and treatises absent from the extant Greek sources. It is possibly influenced by East Syrian scholastic culture. Regarding the content, he was the first to explain all five types of syllogism. Especially the understanding of the Greek μυθῶδες, as a description of the poetical syllogism, as “imagined”, which is probably due to him, paved the way for the Arabic theories on poetical syllogisms. By writing this treatise, Paul fulfils a never executed promise of Sergius’ of Rēšʿaynā, namely explaining the aim(s) of all writings of Aristotle. Thus, he gives the first sketch of a purely Aristotelian curriculum of philosophy in late Antiquity, which is introduced by Sergius’ magnificent image of Aristotle as the master of all sciences. The reception of Paul’s treatise by al-Fārābī and Miskawayh leads to the diffusion of the Aristotelian curriculum, as developed by the two Syro-Persian masters, in Arabic philosophical texts.
Perkams, Matthias. “The Syro-Persian Reinvention of Aristotelianism: Paul the Persian’s Treatise on the Scopes of Aristotle’s Works between Sergius of Rēš‘aynā, Alexandria, and Baghdad.” Studia Graeco-Arabica 9 (2019): 129–46.
Matthias Perkams, The Syro-Persian Reinvention of Aristotelianism: Paul the Persian’s Treatise on the Scopes of Aristotle’s Works between Sergius of Rēš‘aynā, Alexandria, and Baghdad,Studia Graeco-Arabica 9 (2019): 129–46.AristotleGreek philosophyIV-VII CENestoriansPaul the PersianSergius of ReshainaVI CE