The article presents an overview of implementation of self-referential notions in the logical and theological texts of Byzantine scholars up to the 12th century. The commentaries on Porphyry’s and Aristotle’s theory of definition by John of Damascus, John Italus, and Theodore Prodromos are discussed. It is argued that the Byzantine scholars performed different original implementations of basic logical notions and discovered their self-referential property. The attention is paid to the five predicabilia notions of Porphyry and Aristotelian categories applications in logical, philosophical, and theological Byzantine texts. The authors conclude that the Byzantine solutions resemble some of the modern logical ideas of 20th century.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)244-260
JournalScrinium. Journal of Patrology, Critical Hagiography, and Ecclesiastical History
Volume12
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2016

    Scopus subject areas

  • Social Sciences(all)

    Research areas

  • Byzantine philosophy, John Italus, history of logic, Theodore Prodromos, John of Damascus, Russell’s paradox

ID: 7623455