Books by Chiara Militello
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Nel commento al quarto libro dei Topici, come in quello alle altre sezioni di quest’opera, Alessa... more Nel commento al quarto libro dei Topici, come in quello alle altre sezioni di quest’opera, Alessandro di Afrodisia, il più importante commentatore di Aristotele nell’antichità, espone delle interessanti considerazioni sul metodo dialettico, che dei Topici è l’argomento principale. Poiché d’altronde il quarto libro di quest’opera è dedicato in particolare ai “luoghi” dialettici relativi al genere, il commentatore si occupa soprattutto di questo concetto, analizzandolo sia dal punto di vista logico che da quello ontologico: Alessandro si chiede cioè non solo quali sono i rapporti tra il genere e gli altri predicabili, ma anche in che senso si può dire che il genere esiste e come vanno classificati gli enti individuali. Per spiegare il testo di Aristotele, Alessandro fa però non solo delle considerazioni ad ampio raggio, ma propone anche degli esempi specifici di argomentazioni dialettiche, molti dei quali riguardano il concetto di anima. I passi più significativi su dialettica, genere e anima del commento di Alessandro di Afrodisia al quarto libro dei Topici sono l’oggetto di questo volume, che introduce anche il lettore alla concezione aristotelica della dialettica, alla figura di Alessandro di Afrodisia e alle caratteristiche generali della sua esegesi, e permette di leggere per la prima volta in una lingua moderna l’intero commento di Alessandro al quarto libro dei Topici.
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In questa monografia sono indagati i rapporti tra la dialettica e altre discipline di cui Aristot... more In questa monografia sono indagati i rapporti tra la dialettica e altre discipline di cui Aristotele si occupò. Il filosofo, infatti, trattò tra l’altro delle argomentazioni dialettiche che possono essere costruite per provare o confutare l’attribuzione di un genere ad una specie, e nel farlo elaborò una teoria metafisica dei rapporti tra le diverse classi in cui rientra un ente individuale. La dialettica è però in primo luogo un metodo argomentativo, ed è quindi strettamente collegata alla retorica: per questo vengono analizzate le affermazioni di Aristotele sui rapporti tra le due tecniche. Quando espone i diversi tipi di argomentazioni dialettiche, lo Stagirita fa spesso ricorso ad esempi, alcuni dei quali riguardano la psicologia e più in particolare le proprietà delle tre parti dell’anima di cui aveva parlato Platone. La questione del significato di questi riferimenti alle parti razionale, irascibile e desiderativa dell’anima è anch’essa affrontata in questo volume.
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Il presente volume tratta del commentario al De anima di Aristotele che la tradizione manoscritta... more Il presente volume tratta del commentario al De anima di Aristotele che la tradizione manoscritta ascrive a Simplicio e che alcuni studiosi hanno attribuito a Prisciano Lido, e in particolare della concezione dell’autocoscienza del senso, della ragione e dell’intelletto ivi esposta. I passi rilevanti sono messi a confronto con quelli degli altri commentari neoplatonici al De anima rimastici al fine di evidenziare la peculiarità delle teorie che “Simplicio” ha elaborato per conciliare le tesi aristoteliche e la tradizione platonica. Da questo studio emerge l’importanza del commentario di “Simplicio”, in cui viene presentata una teoria innovativa sui diversi modi in cui l’anima umana conosce se stessa e le proprie attività.
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Oggetto di questo volume sono i commentari all’Isagoge di Porfirio che furono redatti tra il V e ... more Oggetto di questo volume sono i commentari all’Isagoge di Porfirio che furono redatti tra il V e il VII secolo d.C. da Ammonio, Elia, Davide, pseudo-Elia (tutti rappresentanti della Scuola di Alessandria) e Boezio (che riprese nel mondo latino la tradizione delle Scuole neoplatoniche ateniese e alessandrina). All’analisi della struttura generale dei commentari si accompagna lo studio e la contestualizzazione all’interno del complesso sviluppo della tradizione esegetica (che comprende tanto fattori di continuità quanto momenti di rottura) dei passi che, vertendo sui concetti logico-metafisici di genere, specie e individuo, esemplificano le diverse soluzioni al problema dell’armonizzazione tra aristotelismo e platonismo.
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Papers by Chiara Militello
Soul, Body and Gender in Late Antiquity. Essays on Embodiment and Disembodiment, 2024
In the works of Plotinus and Proclus, Aphrodite becomes the symbol of a love that is no more asso... more In the works of Plotinus and Proclus, Aphrodite becomes the symbol of a love that is no more associated with the body (i.e. with the feminine principle), but rather with theoretical research, an endeavour typically associated with male traits. Like Plato, Plotinus states that there are two Aphrodites—one heavenly, the other associated with the material world. Plotinus links the heavenly Aphrodite with the male principle, immateriality and purity; this confirms by contrast the connection between the feminine principle, matter and impurity. Moreover, Plotinus subordinating Aphrodite as soul and principle of love to Cronus and Zeus, who stand for intellect and perfect knowledge, is a very clear sign of how the philosopher appropriated the meaning of the myth.
While in the commentary on the Cratylus Proclus distinguishes, like Plato and Plotinus before him, two Aphrodites, in his commentary on the Republic there is only one goddess bearing this name, even though her twofold mode of being, existing both in the intelligible and in the sensible realm, is highlighted. Consequently, Aphrodite’s relationship with male gods is more complex, and cannot be dismissed as just subordination.
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Platonism and its Heritage. Selected Papers from the Nineteenth Annual Conference of the International Society for Neoplatonic Studies, 2023
Chiara Militello analyzes the peculiar interpretation of an occurrence of μυθολογεῖν in a passage... more Chiara Militello analyzes the peculiar interpretation of an occurrence of μυθολογεῖν in a passage of Aristotle’s Meteorology (2.359a,16–22) given by Olympiodorus. While Aristotle means that he knows about “a lake in Palestine” only through unverified reports, Olympiodorus thinks that what is “mythical” is the name “Dead Sea”. Militello argues that Olympiodorus gives this reading because he wants to teach his students what the relationship between myth and imagination is.
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Scienza, mito e immaginario nel dialogo tra psiche e mondo oggettivo. Una prospettiva filosofica. In omaggio a Francesco Coniglione, 2022
In this paper, I focus on the Neoplatonic theory that innate concepts can be used to correct the ... more In this paper, I focus on the Neoplatonic theory that innate concepts can be used to correct the inaccuracies of sense perception. Specifically, I try to show what this theory tells us about the Neoplatonic view on the relationship between reality and mind. This relationship is seemingly simple, as the highest level of being, from which all reality derives, is the hypostasis Intellect. Even considering only the human soul, one sees how it is perfectly coordinated with outer reality, because the soul has in itself the same seminal reasons (logoi) that give order and structure to each being. However, there is one case where this perfect agreement between soul and reality fails: sense-perception. As a matter of fact, Neoplatonic philosophers admit that our grasping of the outer world through the senses can be unreliable. This is particularly important, as sense-perception is the first access to reality, from which all forms of cognition start. Neoplatonists explain the process of correction of wrong perceptions as an intervention of the logoi in sense perception.
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Polemics and Networking in Graeco-Roman Antiquity, 2021
It may seem that, while in his treatises Alexander uses the principles of Aristotelian philosophy... more It may seem that, while in his treatises Alexander uses the principles of Aristotelian philosophy to address problems that are often typical of the Imperial age, in his commentaries on Aristotle he is simply concerned with explaining Aristotle’s words. However, it has been convincingly argued that all Alexander’s works – commentaries and treatises alike – are equally exegetical. In this paper, I argue that all Alexander’s works are also equally polemical, and, as a consequence, that the controversy between the Aristotelian school and the other schools (above all, the Stoic one) is foundational to Alexander’s version of Aristotelianism. As a matter of fact, in his commentaries Alexander often chooses to focus on those Aristotle’s sentences that can form the basis for a polemical argument against the Stoics. The controversy between the Aristotelian and the Stoic schools is also mentioned at the very beginning of two commentaries, as the framework of Alexander’s approach to the Aristotelian treatise.
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Prolegomena. Journal of Philosophy, 2021
This paper tackles the problem of the relationship between traditional myths (specifically, the m... more This paper tackles the problem of the relationship between traditional myths (specifically, the myth of Ares and Aphrodite being in love) and truth in Aristotle: are myths false, or do they convey truth in an allegorical language? and, in the latter case, does the lack of exactness of such language make the myth useless for the progress of philosophy, which proceeds by logical inference? In order to understand the relationship between myth and truth, the usage of the term mythologein (to tell mythic tales) by Aristotle is systematically analyzed, by checking, for each instance of this term: (1) who is the subject of the act of telling the myth? (2) is the tale true? (3) if it is not true, does it reflect some aspect of reality? (4) why does the myth teller relate the tale? (5) what is the role of the myth in Aristotle’s argument? Answering these questions will make it possible to exactly understand the meaning of Aristotle’s reference to the myth of Ares and Aphrodite.
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Pallas. Revue d’études antiques, 2020
In the sixth and fifth centuries BC, Pythagorean philosophers managed to hold power in several ci... more In the sixth and fifth centuries BC, Pythagorean philosophers managed to hold power in several cities of southern Italy. Subsequently, they were victims of attacks from political opponents, which killed most of them. The surviving Pythagoreans had to seek asylum elsewhere, becoming political refugees. There are several different ancient traditions and modern theories about the reasons of the violent opposition who turned the powerful Pythagoreans in exiles. However, in this paper it is argued that in, any case, the root cause of this opposition is the elitist attitude that marked Pythagorean philosophy, way of life and politics.
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Emotions in Plato, 2020
Aischynê was one of the most important emotions in the ancient Greek culture, and, more specifica... more Aischynê was one of the most important emotions in the ancient Greek culture, and, more specifically, it had a significant role in Plato’s philosophy. As a matter of fact, feeling shame for your false beliefs and misbehaving is, according to Plato, a powerful motivation for becoming wise and good. As a consequence, the relationship between aischynê and the tripartite soul of the Republic has been an object of interest for a few scholars. The researches published so far have focused on the problem of the location of shame in the logistikon or in the thymoeides, and in this context a passage from Aristotle’s Topics may seem a witness to Plato’s view on the matter, so it is worthwhile to inquire the merit of this passage as a source. However, the role of aischynê in the tripartite soul is not limited to being caused by one part of the other, because in any case it integrates into the activities of the logistikon. It is therefore advisable to study how shame helps reason to reach its end in the Republic. A close reading of the dialogue in parallel with the other works by Plato and with Aristotle’s Topics and a survey of the relevant secondary literature allow to specify these hitherto understudied features of aischynê.
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Platonism and its Legacy. Selected Papers from the Fifteenth Annual Conference of the International Society for Neoplatonic Studies, 2019
The subject of this paper is the theory of self-knowledge in the commentary on Aristotle’s On the... more The subject of this paper is the theory of self-knowledge in the commentary on Aristotle’s On the Soul that was written by a pupil of Damascius and is traditionally attributed to Simplicius. The commentator thinks that in human beings reason permeates the irrational faculties of sense and desire, making them capable of reverting to themselves and knowing their own acts. This sets this commentator apart from most Neoplatonists—including Damascius, who ascribed all forms of self-awareness to the faculty of prosektikon/syneidos.
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Reason and No-Reason from Ancient Philosophy to Modern Neurosciences. Old Parameters, New Perspectives, 2017
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Peitho. Examina antiqua, 2014
This paper lists and examines the explicit references to Aristotle’s Topics in the Greek Neoplato... more This paper lists and examines the explicit references to Aristotle’s Topics in the Greek Neoplatonic commentaries on the Categories. The references to the Topics by Porphyry, Dexippus, Ammonius, Simplicius, Olympiodorus, Philoponus and David (Elias) are listed according the usual prolegomena to Aristotle’s works. In particular, the paper reconstructs David (Elias)’s original thesis about the proponents of the title Pre-Topics for the Categories and compares Ammonius’, Simplicius’ and Olympiodorus’ doxographies about the postpraedicamenta. Moreover, the study identifies two general trends. The first one is that all the commentators after Proclus share the same general view about: the authenticity of the Topics, Aristotle’s writing style in them, the part of philosophy to which they belong, their purpose, their usefulness and their place in the reading order. The second one is that whereas Porphyry, Dexippus and Simplicius use the Topics as an aid to understanding the Categories, Ammonius, Olympiodorus and David (Elias) do not.
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Cura di sé, cura del mondo. L’impatto della crisi ambientale sul fisico (sôma) e sul morale (psychê) dell’uomo. Atti della Giornata di Studi, Catania 30 giugno-1 luglio 2021, 2022
In questo saggio è sottoposta ad analisi la Quaestio I.20 attribuita ad Alessandro di Afrodisia, ... more In questo saggio è sottoposta ad analisi la Quaestio I.20 attribuita ad Alessandro di Afrodisia, che ha come oggetto un caso di influenza dell’ambiente sullo stato fisico degli esseri umani: l’effetto delle stagioni sulla sonnolenza. L’autore della Quaestio si occupa di questo problema perché avverte un’apparente contraddizione tra la teoria aristotelica e l’esperienza. Mentre, infatti, la teoria assume come causa del sonno la concentrazione del calore negli organi interni, concentrazione che avviene più facilmente in inverno, l’esperienza mostra che è d’estate che ci si addormenta più velocemente e si dorme per più tempo. La prima parte del saggio analizza il modo in cui l’autore della Quaestio risolve questa apparente contraddizione; per meglio comprendere tale soluzione, vengono considerate le diverse opzioni teoriche che il filosofo aristotelico aveva a disposizione. Nella seconda parte del saggio, si cerca di dare una risposta al problema di chi sia l’autore della Quaestio, e in particolare se possa trattarsi di Alessandro di Afrodisia. Tale questione viene affrontata tramite un confronto analitico tra la teoria del sonno esposta nella Quaestio e quella che si trova nel commentario di Alessandro al De sensu di Aristotele.
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Mythos e Logos. Tra archetipi antichi e sguardi sul futuro, 2021
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Il valore e la virtù. Studi in onore di Silvana Raffaele, 2019
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Il mito tra filosofia e scienza. Temi e prospettive dall’antichità a oggi, 2019
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La complessità della cultura. Flussi, identità, valori, 2019
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Books by Chiara Militello
Papers by Chiara Militello
While in the commentary on the Cratylus Proclus distinguishes, like Plato and Plotinus before him, two Aphrodites, in his commentary on the Republic there is only one goddess bearing this name, even though her twofold mode of being, existing both in the intelligible and in the sensible realm, is highlighted. Consequently, Aphrodite’s relationship with male gods is more complex, and cannot be dismissed as just subordination.
While in the commentary on the Cratylus Proclus distinguishes, like Plato and Plotinus before him, two Aphrodites, in his commentary on the Republic there is only one goddess bearing this name, even though her twofold mode of being, existing both in the intelligible and in the sensible realm, is highlighted. Consequently, Aphrodite’s relationship with male gods is more complex, and cannot be dismissed as just subordination.