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Document Details : Title: Common Notions and Rational Arguments Subtitle: Nicetas of Byzantium's Logical Arsenal and Ninth-Century Byzantine Polemic against Islam Author(s): ERISMANN, Christophe Journal: Journal of Eastern Christian Studies Volume: 72 Issue: 3-4 Date: 2020 Pages: 273-290 DOI: 10.2143/JECS.72.3.3288668 Abstract : Nicetas of Byzantium, in his treatises against Islam, offers what is certainly the most explicit use of Aristotelian logic in a Byzantine polemical religious text written during the long ninth century. Even if he does not quote Aristotle by name, he makes regular use of several key concepts of Aristotelian logic. In response to his Muslim opponents and their accusation that the Christian faith contradicts basic logical principles, Nicetas presents both a well-argued exposition of several elements of Christian doctrine and criticism of some aspects of Islam. The article analyses some aspects of his logical culture and discusses his possible motivations for using Aristotelian logic in such a context. |
