The Stoics, Epicureans and Sceptics - College of Stoic Philosophers

122
Chap.
V.
(c) Jieftttation
of
fallacies.
THE STOICS.
the microscopic care expended by them on the most
worthless logical forms.^
Next to describing inferences which are valid,
another subject engaged the close attention of the
Stoics, and afforded opportunity for displaying their
dialectical subtlety. This is the enumeration and
refutation of false inferences,^ and in particular the
exposing of the many fallacies which had become
current since the age of the Sophists and Megarians.
In this dei)artment, as might be expected, Chry-
sippus led the way.^ Not that Chrysippus was always
able to overcome the difficulties that arose ; witness
his remarkable attitude towards the Cliain-inference,
from which he thought to escape by withholding
judgment.* The fallacies, however, to which the
Stoics devoted their attention, and the way in
which they met them, need not occupy our attention
further.*
'
Conf. Ahx. Anal. Pr. 9.1,
a ; (ialfii. See aV)0\e p. 12(>, 3.
According to I's. UaU-n. 1. c. p.
58, Chr\>ippu,s wrote these tresitises
on 2i'AAo7iffTi»cal ixpi"^"'''""
^
Ihog. 18(), mentions fallacies
due to Cbrj'sippus, whicli
can only have l)een raised for
the purpose of beinp refuted.
* The list of his writings
contains a number of treatises
on fallacies, among tlieni no
less than five on the ifevSc^uevos.
^
Cir. Acad, ii. 21t, %\ : I'lacei
enim Chrysippo, cum gradatim
interrogetur, verbi cau.sa, tria
pauca sint, anne multa, aliquanto
prius. quam ad multa
perveniat,quiescere,id est, quod
ab iU dicitur V^X'^C*'"- The
siime remark is nia