Isagoge (Introduction)

Porphyry · Thomas Taylor

Translated by Octavius Freire Owen, 1853 Also known as Introduction to Aristotle’s ‘Categories’, this short treatise was written by Porphyry in Greek and translated into Latin by Boethius. Serving as the standard textbook on logic for at least a millennium after its first publication, Isagoge was composed by Porphyry in Sicily during the years 268-270, and sent to Chrysaorium, according to ancient commentators. It includes the highly influential hierarchical classification of genera and species from substance in general down to individuals, known as the Tree of Porphyry, and an introduction that mentions the problem of universals. Boethius’ Latin translation became a standard medieval textbook in European scholastic universities, setting the stage for medieval philosophical-theological developments of logic and the problem of universals. According to Porphyry, the predicables of …

Editions (plain text / reader):

• Thomas Taylor (this edition) — read
• Greek text — read

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