Talk:Authors/John of Salisbury/Metalogicon

From the SEP article:

The logical curriculum John prescribes in the Metalogicon includes only Porphyry and Aristotle. The Isagoge, Categories, and De Interpretatione are all introductory works. John criticizes the tradition of extensive commentary on these texts as harmful to students and as providing occasions for self-aggrandizement on the part of the masters who wrote them (Meta. II 16 m111). John had read the Prior and Posterior Analytics but does not quite know what to make of them. He finds the Prior Analytics overly complex and claims that the same material is covered comprehensibly elsewhere (Meta. IV 2 m205), whereas the Posterior Analytics is better suited to the study of geometry because of its focus on demonstration (Meta. IV 6 m212). Aristotle's Sophistical Refutations should be used as practice exercises for younger students (Meta. IV 22 m237). The centerpiece of John's reworked curriculum is Aristotle's Topics. Chapters 5-10 of Book III (m170-201) of the Metalogicon gives an introduction, commentary, and sales pitch for Aristotle's Topics, in which John finds the voice of Aristotle confirming his own probabilistic leanings.

• Book I contains the description of Bernard of Chartres' teaching method.
• Book 2 c.17-20 are a discussion of different theories of universals.
• Book 3 and 1-23 of Book 4 are an aid to Aristotle's Organon. They are witness to the entire work being accessible to John.
• Book 4 c.24-29 of Book 4 explain how to teach, use and interpret the Organon.
• Book 4 c.30-42 are a discussion of truth and reason.