Translated philosophical works in Russian literature (end of 15th – mid 16th century): the Jewish and Arabic influence

Abstract

The author analyzes philosophical works that are connected with influence of various faiths. They are investigated in the context of the intellectual life of Russia. Analyzed in detail the following works: «Aviasafʼs Logic»; «The Book glagolemaya Logic» by Moses Maimonides; «Shestokryl»; «Aristotleʼs Gates» and others. These transfers were made for the heretics-Judaizers. The translated logical treatise is called «Aviasafʼs Logic», but in fact the basis of his text is constituted by extraction from the treatise «Aspirations of Philosophers» by Al-Gazali. This selection is added with fragments from the logic textbook written by Moses Maimonides. The text of this Old Russian book contained postulates of logical science: ideas of knowledge sources, the doctrine about terms (including their classification), the characteristic of types of a predication (close to Porphyry), the principles of conclusion and the rule of proofs. The text formulated six conditions which need to be observed in order to avoid formal contradictions. Logiko-gnoseological questions are treated in «The book, glagolemaya logic». The special section is devoted to categories which are absent in «Aviasaf». Much attention is paid to the problems of semantics and synonyms, as well as special explanations of the concept first principles. If «Aviasafʼs Logic» states general postulates of logical science, then «The book, glagolemaya logic» focuses on the interpretation of the logical terms. Translated texts demonstrate the influence of an Aristotelianism on the Russian philosophy.