187-218

The grammatical and logical category of “relation” (σχέσις or προς τι) in St Gregory of Nyssa

• Δημητρακόπουλος, Γιάννης

The use of ancient Greek logic in the theological works of St Gregory of Nyssa has not been so far an object of extensive study. The author of the paper, in an attempt to contribute toward that direction, examines the way in which St Gregory uses the logical and grammatical category of “relation” (σχέσις or πρός τι) in an endeavor to provide rational proof for Christian dogma. Analyzing various writings of St Gregory, the author convincingly demonstrates that the latter displays a highly inconsistent attitude in the matter under discussion, since in some passages he accepts the objective existence of the aforementioned category, whilst in other instances he clearly rejects it. The author does not attribute this inconsistency to faulty reasoning or to incomplete knowledge of ancient Greek logic, but to a conscious attempt by St Gregory to confound his intellectual opponents by using any kind of argument, providing that it serves his demonstrative purposes. He thus sometimes goes as far as rejecting altogether the principle of rational demonstrability, arguing that there can be no logical proof in matters of fate. All this clearly goes to show that St Gregory is first and foremost a Christian apologist, who exploits his deep knowledge of ancient Greek logic in order to substantiate his creed.

• Philosophy, Ethics and Religion

• Θεολογία
• Logic

Περιέχει βιβλιογραφία