The Logic of Gersonides: A Translation of Sefer ha-Heqqesh ha-Yashar (The Book of the Correct Syllogism) of Rabbi Levi ben Gershom with Introduction, ... (The New Synthese Historical Library)

Levi ben Gershom (Gersonides, 1288-1344), medieval Jewry's boldest philosopher and scientist, emerges from this study as an impressive figure in the history of logic. Profoundly disturbed by the many "mistakes" he found in Averroes' paraphrase of the "Prior Analytics", the yound Gersonides wrote "The Book of the Correct Syllogism" to place syllogistic on a sure footing. Neither commentary nor compendium, the work differs from Aristotle's theory in approach and in scope. Of special interest is Gersonides' treatment of the modal syllogism and his spirited defence of the fourth syllogistic figure. "The Logic of Gersonides" includes an introductory essay analyzing Gersonides' logical writings, a translation based on the author's critical edition of the "Correct Syllogism", and an extensive analytical commentary and glossary.