Professor of Philosophy at the LMU in Munich; hosts podcast about the History of Philosophy... without any gaps.
Aug 13, 2020 • 9 tweets • 3 min read
THREAD
Is logic an instrument of philosophy or one of its parts?
In antiquity Aristotle's logical writings were called "organon" meaning "instrument," the point being that logic is an instrument to be used in doing actual philosophy. So logic is not actually a part of philosophy, according to the Aristotelian commentators.
Jul 25, 2020 • 11 tweets • 3 min read
THREAD
On Ursula Coope's new book "Freedom and Responsibility in Neoplatonist Thought" from @OUPPhilosophy
global.oup.com/academic/produ…
Coope is Professor of Ancient Philosophy at the University of Oxford and previously is probably best known for her work on Aristotle, especially an excellent monograph called "Time for Aristotle" (get it?)
Jul 8, 2020 • 8 tweets • 3 min read
THREAD
On al-Bīrūnī and his book "India" (al-Hind)
Al-Bīrūnī was an astronomer, mathematician, and philosopher who died in the middle of the 11th century CE.
Look, here he is on a stamp!
Jun 13, 2020 • 9 tweets • 2 min read
THREAD
On Henry Odera Oruka (1944-1995) and his idea of “Sage Philosophy,” which sought to identify and learn from outstandingly wise members of traditional African societies.
Oruka’s project was a reaction against “ethno-philosophy” as practiced by figures like Placide Tempels and John Mbiti, in which philosophical ideas were ascribed to large groups and peoples, or “Africans” as a whole. Oruka called this “mythology paraded as philosophy.”
Jun 10, 2020 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
THREAD
On the Sanskrit grammarian Pāṇini, who lived, um, at some point. Let’s say 6-5th century BCE. Author of the amazing Aṣṭādhyāyī (Book in Eight Chapters).
Pāṇini wrote in the aphorism (sutra) style, delineating the grammar of Sanskrit. This would have been of religious significance, since it is the language of the Veda.
Jun 8, 2020 • 8 tweets • 3 min read
THREAD
The Baron de Vastey (1781-1820)
Author of Le Système Colonial Dévoilé (1841, "The Colonial System Unveiled")
His full name was Jean Louis Vastey and as Marlene Daut (@FictionsofHaiti) has discussed may also have published in France as a poet under a different name, Pompée Valentin Vastey.
2. Plato stressed the role of mathematics in science, especially in astronomy (Republic) but also for atomic physics (Timaeus). 3. He argued for enfranchising women politically (admittedly, he didn't argue for their full equality).