The Ancient Commentators On Concept Formation

Abstract

In this chapter, the author deals with the formation of a concept by ancient commentators. A rudimentary universal concept falls short of the concepts required by an expert or by a scientist. In the restatement written by Aristotle, important new ideas are introduced about the contribution of sense perception. The commentators the author refers to include Alexander, head of the Aristotelian school in Athens at the end of the second century AD. The others are all Platonists, starting with the Middle Platonist Alcinous in the mid-second century AD, and continuing in sequence with Porphyry in the late third century, his probable pupil, Iamblichus, around 300 AD, Themistius in the late fourth century, in the fifth century the Athenians Plutarch of Athens, Syrianus and Proclus and Syrianus' pupil in Alexandria, Hermeias, then in the sixth century Philoponus, Simplicius and Olympiodorus and finally around 1100, Eustratius. Keywords: Alexander; Aristotle; commentators; Platonists