William Heytesbury

William Heytesbury (William of Heytesbury, also Gugliemus Hentisberus or Tisberus ; * before 1313, † 1372 or 1373) was a philosopher and logician, - and one of the most famous of the Oxford Calculators (or Mertonian Calculators) at Merton College , together with Thomas Bradwardine , John Dumbleton , Richard Kilvington and Richard Swineshead .

Life

Heytesbury was born before 1313, probably in County Wiltshire , Diocese of Salisbury . In 1330 he was at Merton College for Fellow appointed. He served as the First Treasury Administrator ( Bursar ) at Merton College in 1338/1339 , and although he also became a Fellow at Queen's College in 1340, he returned to Merton College. In 1348 he received his doctorate in theology . From 1371 to 1372 he was Chancellor at Oxford University .

He died in the winter of 1372/1373.

Act

In his work he applied logical procedures to the problem solving of infinite divisibility , the continuum and kinematics . He worked on these logical problems by applying the supposition theory to the logical representation of problematic statements ( sophismata ).

His work influenced the development of early modern science. He developed the mean speed theorem (calculation of the distance in a period of time under uniform acceleration) and pioneered the mathematical analysis of the continuum of the 19th century (e.g. finite element method ).

Heytesbury's main work was Regulae solvendi sophismata ( Rules for Solving Sophisms ) (1335).

Heytesbury's logic

Constants, variables and functions of predicate logic :
∀ = an existential
quantifier ∃ = a universal quantifier

• The present exists between the previous and the future:
  ∀x → ∃y    (As variables: x = "a time after the now", y = "a time before the now")
• Humans live in a continuum or individuals exist between the previous and the future:
  ∀x → ∃y    (As variables: x = "a time after the present", y = "a person" - Conclusion: y exists in x)

influence

Heytesbury's works influenced the work of the following scientists:

• Pietro Alboini da Mantova (also: Petri Alboini Mantuani , Pietro degli Alboini da Mantova ) († 1400), De Instanti and Logica
• Paulus Venetus († 1429), Summa Naturalium and Sophismata
• Kajetan von Thiene (1387–1465), Heytesbury Commentaries (c. 1422–1430)
• Paolo da Pergola († 1456), Heytesbury Comments

Works

• 1335 Regulae solvendi sophismata. ( Rules for Solving Sophisms )
  • 1. On insoluble sentences. (Self-referencing paradoxes)
  • 2. On knowing and doubting. (Knowledge and doubts and their contextual context)
  • 3. On relative terms. (Requirements of the relative pronoun)
  • 4. On beginning and ceasing. (Start and stop)
  • 5. On maxima and minima. (Limits of capacity)
  • 6. On the three categories. (Speed ​​and acceleration in relation to location, quantity and quality)
• De probationibus conclusionum tractatus regularum solvendi sophismata. ( On the Proofs of Conclusions from the Treatise of Rules for Resolving Syllogisms. ) Pavia 1483
• De sensus composito et diviso. ( On the Compound and Divided Senses. ) Bonetus Locatellus (Ed.) (1483)
• De veritate et falsitate propositionis. ( Truth and Falsehood of Premises. ) Bonetus Locatellus (Ed.) (1483)
• De tribus praedicamentis.
• Liber Calculationum.

literature

• Norman Kretzmann, Anthony Kenny & Jan Pinborg (Eds.): The Cambridge History of Later Medieval Philosophy. 1982.
  • Edith Sylla: The Oxford Calculators.
  • John Murdoch: Infinity and Continuity.
• John Longeway: William Heytesbury. In: The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2003.
• Curtis Wilson: William Heytesbury. Medieval Logic and the Rise of Mathematical Physics. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison 1956.

Web links

• The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: William Heytesbury.
• Facsimiles of Heytesbury's works in the Biblioteca de la Universidad de Sevilla