Tractatus De Signis

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PDF is [2nd edition (2013)](http://www.staugustine.net/our-books/books/tractatus-de-signis/) reprinted and (partially) re-typeset by St. Augustine PressExcerpt of [John of St. Thomas's *Ars Logica*](https://isidore.co/calibre/browse/book/5639) (Reiser ed.)Euclid's definition of ratio in [Element. (l. 5.) defins.](https://isidore.co/calibre/browse/book/6071) as a " *similitudo duarum proportionum* " is mentioned in the context of "whether mind-independent relations themselves, precisely as such, are able to found other relations." Scotus thought so (cf. Deely's [*Four Ages of Understanding*](https://isidore.co/calibre/#panel=book_details&book_id=4151) [pp. 376](https://books.google.com/books?id=zAsjkHJ8aP8C&pg=PA376)-7, esp. where he summarizes, on the first full quoted ¶ on p. 377, Scotus's view: " *unica requirit [Scotus] solum distinctionem inter res, quæ sunt extrema, non inter rationes fundandi.* *D. Thomas utrumque requirit* "; cf. the *Summa* article "[Whether there is equality in God?](https://isidore.co/aquinas/summa/FP/FP042.html#FPQ42A1THEP1)"); St. Thomas did not. cf. John of St. Thomas's [*Tractatus de Signis*](https://isidore.co/calibre/browse/book/2977) [pp. 102](https://archive.org/stream/tractatusdesigni00johnrich#page/102/mode/2up) line 23ff.Euclid:> 3\. A ratio (Λόγος) is a sort of relation in respect of size between two magnitudes of the same kind.6. Let magnitudes which have the same ratio be called proportional (ἁνάλογον). * * *### facere cognoscere ⊃ repraesentare ⊃ significareJohn of St. Thomas describes this hierarchy ( *ibid.* p. 26): "facere cognoscere latius patet quam repraesentare, et repraesentare quam significare." Thus, that which represents ( *figure* ) has a larger extension than what merely explains / formally (or even instrumentally) signifies ( *explique* ). When Duhem says physical theories are not explanations, he by no means excludes their ability " *facere* [ *nos* ] *cognoscere*."A sign that does not explain is merely an instrumental sign, but a formal sign (concept) "est formalis notitia, quae seipsa, non mediante alio, repraesentat" ([ *Tractatus de Signis* 27](https://archive.org/stream/tractatusdesigni00johnrich#page/26/mode/2up)/13-14 (from his *summulæ* )).* * *[Duhem](https://isidore.co/calibre/#panel=book_details&book_id=6827) used *figurer* ("to represent" or "to appear," correct?), not *décrire* :> le second a pour objet de constituer un modèle mécanique qui figure ou explique (pour un physicien anglais, les deux mots ont le même sens)⁷ les actions électriques et magnétiques. > [ *Figurer* seems to be synonymous with "to save the appearances," and *expliquer* with "showing how phenomena result from their underlying causes."]* * *p. 117 (DjVu p. 131) n. 6: "[ *Seu*](https://latin.stackexchange.com/a/1378/576) in classical Latin usage introduces an alternative condition or [ *vel*?☺] a disjunction." * * *re: Galileo and Poinsot's editors' "suppressing the then-traditional fourfold division [which included astronomy] itself in favor of a tri-partite structure [sans astronomy]" and the alleged destruction of Poinsot's astronomy MSS to be printed in 1634: p. 403 (DjVu p. 417) n. 8 & p. 439 (DjVu p. 453) n. 55.