This thesis investigates the connection between two branches of the Ancient Stoics’ study of dialectic, or what we would call “logic.” Specifically, we look at the overlap between the fields of Stoic logic (the Stoics’ study of propositions) and Stoic grammar (the Stoics’ study of language). While Stoic logic is now highly regarded as a field of study, Stoic grammar is often seen as irrelevant or inferior when compared to other systems of grammar. For the Stoics, however, the two were not so separable. Over three chapters, I look into the value of studying Stoic grammar as a way to approach the field of Stoic logic through a thorough investigation of the Stoic concept of the sundesmoi, or connectors. In the first chapter, I provide a rough ancient historiography of the sources available to us on Stoic grammar. Although we do not have many extant works which discuss Stoic grammar at length, I highlight four which are of particular value to us. In the second chapter, I do close readings of the Stoics’ definitions of sundesmoi, comparing them to definitions given by their grammatical rivals known as the Alexandrian grammarians. By comparing the Stoics’ definition to the Alexandrians’ more technical one, it is possible to see what made the Stoics’ definitions unique. Finally, the third chapter looks at examples of types of connectors and their use in proposition formation. Looking at the examples “if,” “and,” and “or,” I identify the ways in which these particular connectors align and differ from the Stoics’ general definition of sundesmoi. I conclude by considering how looking at the sundesmoi from a grammatical perspective allows us to approach Stoic logic in a different way. Stoic grammar may be more obscure than other forms of grammar, but it is useful for approaching Stoic philosophy more generally. / Thesis / Master of Philosophy (MA) / This thesis investigates the connection between two branches of the Ancient Stoics’ study of dialectic, or what we would call “logic.” Specifically, we look at the overlap between the fields of Stoic logic (the Stoics’ study of propositions) and Stoic grammar (the Stoics’ study of language). While Stoic logic is now highly regarded as a field of study, Stoic grammar is often seen as irrelevant or inferior when compared to other systems of grammar. For the Stoics, however, the two were not so separable. Indeed, in the thesis, I argue that although Stoic grammar is obscure to modern audiences, it is a useful tool for understanding other branches of Stoic philosophy, particularly Stoic logic. Using the Stoics’ conception of connectors (sundesmoi) as a case study for investigating Stoic logic and Stoic grammar, I show the benefits of understanding Stoic grammar as a way to approach Stoicism as a whole.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:mcmaster.ca/oai:macsphere.mcmaster.ca:11375/23322 |
| Date | January 2018 |
| Creators | Maurin, Josh |
| Contributors | Johnstone, Mark, Hitchcock, David, Philosophy |
| Source Sets | McMaster University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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