Grice e Torre

 Jacopo da Forlì  (c. 1364 – 1414) was a prominent medieval physician and natural philosopher whose importance in philosophy lies primarily in his contributions to the methodology of science and his detailed engagement with Aristotelian natural philosophy, particularly as it related to medicine.    While historical sources do not specifically highlight an original theory of "natural signification" as a standalone philosophical doctrine in his work, his philosophical importance is directly relevant to this concept through his adherence to the Aristotelian scientific method, which heavily utilized demonstration "from a sign" as a valid form of scientific proof.  Importance in Philosophy and Natural Signification Methodology of Science: Jacopo da Forlì was part of the robust tradition of Aristotelian scholarship at the University of Padua that debated and refined the proper methods for acquiring knowledge in the natural sciences. This tradition recognized two main methods: Demonstration of the reasoned fact:Proceeding from cause to effect. Demonstration from a sign (natural signification): Proceeding from effect to cause. Natural Signification in Medical Context: In the context of natural philosophy and medicine, a "sign" (Latin: signum) referred to an observable effect (e.g., symptoms of a disease) that naturally signified or pointed to its unobservable cause (e.g., an internal imbalance or blockage of vital spirits). Jacopo, as a leading medical theorist, used this method extensively to reconcile the ideas of Aristotle, Hippocrates, and Galen. Application in Embryology and Apoplexy: His specific studies, such as those on embryology and apoplexy (stroke), exemplify his practical application of reasoning from signs. He analyzed observable symptoms (effects) to infer the underlying physiological causes and processes occurring within the body. For instance, in apoplexy, the symptoms (blocked flow of animal spirit to muscles) were signs of a causal issue in the brain leading to the heart's failure. Link to the Regressus Method: His work contributed to the broader Paduan school of thought, which later developed the regressusmethod (a combination of resolution from effect to cause and composition from cause to effect) as the proper scientific methodology. This established the use of "signs" as a critical first step in scientific inquiry within late medieval and Renaissance philosophy.  In essence, Jacopo da Forlì's importance lies in his role as a leading figure who practically applied and validated the Aristotelian method of demonstration from a sign in medical theory, integrating it firmly into the framework of natural philosophy at a time when the relationship between these disciplines was a major topic of debate.