Book contents
- Conceptualising Concepts in Greek Philosophy
- Conceptualising Concepts in Greek Philosophy
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Preface
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 The Emergence of the Concept in Early Greek Philosophy
- Chapter 2 The Place of Concepts in Socratic Inquiry
- Chapter 3 Early Learning in Plato, Republic 7
- Chapter 4 Are Platonic Forms Concepts?
- Chapter 5 Do Forms Play the Role of Concepts in Late Plato?
- Chapter 6 Concepts and Concept Formation in Aristotle’s Logical Works
- Chapter 7 Concepts and Universals in Aristotle’s Metaphysical Thought
- Chapter 8 Aristotle on the Stages of Cognitive Development
- Chapter 9 Epicureans on Preconceptions and Other Concepts
- Chapter 10 The Stoics on Conceptions and Concepts
- Chapter 11 Doing Things with Concepts in Sextus Empiricus
- Chapter 12 Relative Concepts
- Chapter 13 Concepts in Greek Mathematics
- Chapter 14 Platonist Notions and Forms
- Chapter 15 Contested Concepts
- Chapter 16 Alexander of Aphrodisias on Concepts
- Chapter 17 Plotinus on Concepts
- Chapter 18 Concepts in the Neoplatonist Tradition
- Chapter 19 Early Christian Philosophers on Concepts
- Bibliography
- Index
Chapter 19 - Early Christian Philosophers on Concepts
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 April 2024
- Conceptualising Concepts in Greek Philosophy
- Conceptualising Concepts in Greek Philosophy
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Preface
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 The Emergence of the Concept in Early Greek Philosophy
- Chapter 2 The Place of Concepts in Socratic Inquiry
- Chapter 3 Early Learning in Plato, Republic 7
- Chapter 4 Are Platonic Forms Concepts?
- Chapter 5 Do Forms Play the Role of Concepts in Late Plato?
- Chapter 6 Concepts and Concept Formation in Aristotle’s Logical Works
- Chapter 7 Concepts and Universals in Aristotle’s Metaphysical Thought
- Chapter 8 Aristotle on the Stages of Cognitive Development
- Chapter 9 Epicureans on Preconceptions and Other Concepts
- Chapter 10 The Stoics on Conceptions and Concepts
- Chapter 11 Doing Things with Concepts in Sextus Empiricus
- Chapter 12 Relative Concepts
- Chapter 13 Concepts in Greek Mathematics
- Chapter 14 Platonist Notions and Forms
- Chapter 15 Contested Concepts
- Chapter 16 Alexander of Aphrodisias on Concepts
- Chapter 17 Plotinus on Concepts
- Chapter 18 Concepts in the Neoplatonist Tradition
- Chapter 19 Early Christian Philosophers on Concepts
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
‘Early Christian Philosophers on Concepts’ by George Karamanolis integrates some of the themes encountered in previous chapters into the broad theological perspective of the early Christian thinkers, according to which explorations in every area of philosophy are ultimately intended to reveal aspects of God’s relation to His creation. It is argued that the position of the early Christian philosophers on concepts is part of their perceptual realism and their stance against scepticism. Karamanolis examines three case studies: the theories of Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and Gregory of Nyssa. In all three cases, he maintains, concepts are treated both as mental representations and semantic/linguistic items through which we grasp reality. Clement develops his view on concepts in the context of an anti-sceptical elaboration of his thesis that knowledge of the world is propositional and attainable by humans, while Origen and Gregory of Nyssa defend more sophisticated theories of concepts in connection with their respective epistemologies. In every case a theological question motivates the Christian author’s stance with regard to the nature and formation of concepts.
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- Conceptualising Concepts in Greek Philosophy , pp. 427 - 451Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2024