Storia della Filosofia Romana -- le teorie del segno

Speranza

Manetti
"Theories  of the sign in classical antiquity.

Manetti's book opens with a chapter on "Mesopotamian semiotics".

There is then a chapter on "Divination", with sections on 'oracular' (etym. of 'oracle'). 
The third chapter is on medical semiotics, what  Richardson (the translator) calls 'semiosic'.

Sections on 'prognosis' 
(interesting).

-- as in Grice's "Those spots "mean" 'measles' -- to the doctor, not to me."

There is a good section on 'criticism on sacred/magical  semiotics'.

There's a section on 'tekmerion' and 'the senses' (besides  sight -- not in the sense of _Fregean_ sense!).

A good section on 'analogy', and  'expressive modules'.
Chapter 4 is on PLATONE. It has sections on 'sign' as 
imprint on the mind, and the sign as inference (cf. Grice, Aspects of Reason). 

One section for Kratulos.

The 'eidos' and the material of 'names'.

Another  section on 'mimesis' (eikonic for Grice?) and 'use and convention'.

This the  mediaeval authors would have as "ad placitum", and we are never sure if one  idiosyncratic 'placitus' would count as 'use' or 'convention'.

Who does one  'convene to'?

The chapter ends with section on "Letter VII".
Chapter 5 is on ARISTOTELE -- very good.

Starts with the 
'semiotic triangle'.

Discusses "affections". And the distinction, 'semantic' and 
'apophantic'.

Discusses 'enthymeme'.

"The tekmerion as sign in the first figure  of the syllogism".

"Semeion in the second and third figures".

Physiognomy
(looks  very interesting).

Ends with a subsection on the 'undermining' of  the epistemic value of semiotics for Aristotle. Typical!

* Chapter 6 is on Stoic Semiotics.

Has sections on 'the  semiotic triangle' (which will be later discussed in connection with AGOSTINO).

Also, the theory of 'lekton'.

And what looks like a two-column  taxonomy
of signs: 'particular' vs. 'common' (cfr. Grice on generalised and 
particularised 'implicature'), and 'INDICATIVE' vs. 'commemorative' -- which  looks
interesting and Gricean -- cfr. Grice, "Personal identity" (Mind 1941, in  terms
of memory).

The chapter closes with a very relevant section on  'conditionals'
for Philo, and Diodorus, and Chrysippos on 'synartesis'.
Chapter 7 is on Epicurean Semiotics.
This looks like my favourite  chapter.
Cf. W. Pater, "Marius the Epicurean". I think Marius cannot be defended  often enough.

The book has sections on "the idols theory" [Gr. eidolon].

Also  "prolepsis".

The 'phusis-nomos' distinction. And a subsection on 'the origin of 
language' (bow-bow) which fascinated Grice, too.
Chapter 8 is Philodemos, De signis. Deals with "a priori" versus "a 
posteriori". "Common signs" vs. "particular signs". "Elimination" and  'inconceivability'.
Chapter 9 is Roman semiotics -- cfr. Levi, "Storia della filosofia romana". STORIOGRAFIA DELLA FILOSOFIA ROMANA antica.


It is divided into three sections.

The  first deals with CORNIFICIO, and has a section on "Uncontrollable physical  reactions" which sounds interesting.

The second section is on CICERONE, and is a 
discussion of "De inventione" (with subsection on 'clues') and "Partitiones  oratoriae" -- with discussion on "verisimiles" and "indications of the fact",  v. interesting (cfr. Grice, "natural meaning" and factiveness).

The  third
section deals with Quintiliano, with discussion on 'necessary' versus  'weak'
signs and "material clues".

I like that. It sounds very Aristotelian  and
hylemorphic. 
Chapter 10 is AGOSTINO. Loeb has a good edition of St. Augustine, 
but one wonders if all the quotes from Manetti's books _are_ to be found in the 
Loeb series.

In any case, one should be concerned with those that _are_.

One  problem is that if that's not back to _divination_, though.

Manetti's chapter has 
sections on "semiotic triangle", relation of 'equivalence' and 'implication'. 
Another, which looks interesting, on 'classifying signs according to channel of  perception'.

Another on 'SIGNA NATURALIA' versus 'signa data'. (One problem
with  Manetti's book is that it is _translated_. by C. Richardson, who helped Manetti. But he gets some
saying in  the proceedings, though!)