Handbook of the History of Logic: - Fordham University Faculty

Logic in the 14 th Century after Ockham 447
insolubles, and consequences. Unfortunately, so far only his treatises on the properties
of terms have received a modern edition [Bos, 1983]. Marsilius will be a
central figure in our discussion on supposition below.
John of Holland is another interesting case of an author somehow belonging
to both the Continental and the British traditions. While there is no conclusive
evidence to the effect that he did study at Oxford, his familiarity with the works of
some Oxford logicians such as Heytesbury and Bradwardine is an indication that
this might have been the case (cf. [Bos, 1985, *14*]). In fact, little is known about
him, but we do know that he studied in Prague 15 , and was later to become Dean
of the faculty of arts in Prague in 1369. His treatises on supposition, fallacies,
obligation and insolubilia have received modern editions [John of Holland, 1985].
Peter of Ailly was a Parisian master who wrote his best known work in 1372,
his Concepts and Insolubles [Ailly, 1980]. This work deals with mental language
and in particular the signification of mental and spoken terms, and, as the title
says, with insolubles. His definition of signification was to be very influential in
the 15 th century. Although influential for subsequent developments, Ailly will not
be treated in any of the analyses to follow, since his main contribution to logic
concerns insolubilia and semantic notions such as that of signification, which for
reasons of space will not be dealt with here.
Besides France, Britain, Central Europe and Italy, there was also vivid intellectual
activity in Spain; indeed, a handful of universities were founded in Spain in
the 14 th century. But contrasting with the 15 th and 16 th centuries, when Spain
was to become one of the main centers for original work within the Scholastic
tradition, we know of no Spanish logicians in the 14 th century having had the
same influence and importance as later authors such as Domingo de Soto. Worth
noticing, however, is that the (otherwise) famous St. Vincent Ferrer composed
an interesting treatise on supposition around 1372 (edited in [Trentman, 1977]).
Particularly significant is the fact that St. Vincent Ferrer went through his whole
student career in his native Spain; so while he seemed to be acquainted with most
of the important logical texts of the 14 th century, he was in practice outside the
circle of influence of the main centers, and claimed that his main source of inspiration
was St. Thomas Aquinas. St. Vincent will be briefly mentioned in the
section on supposition below.
By contrast, an author such as Blaise of Parme indicates that, in Italy, the
‘usual’ 14 th century authors were indeed very influential, such as Ockham and
Buridan. The logic taught at Italian universities then was referred to (and dismissed)
by humanists such as Petrarca as ‘Ockhamist logic’, and Blaise is perhaps
the most prominent example thereof. His only surviving logical text is a set of
questions on Peter of Spain’s Tractatus (edited recently by J. Biard and G. Federici
Vescovini — [Blaise of Parme, 2001]), which is in many ways idiosyncratic
for a 14 th century logical work in that it does not treat of supposition and other
typical 14 th century topics. It does have a section on consequence, but it does not
15 But remember that, unlike other Eastern European universities, Oxford logic was quite
influential in Prague, so John’s knowledge of British logic may have been acquired in Prague.