Grice e Mastri

 

In the philosophy of 

Bartolomeo Mastri (1602–1673), the theory of the signum (sign) serves as the foundational unity for the "trivium" of dialectica(logic), grammatica, and rethorica because these disciplines all deal with different modes of signification. 

Mastri’s approach, rooted in 17th-century Baroque Scotism, organizes these fields based on how signs represent reality to the mind and to others: 

• Foundation in the Signum Naturale:
  • Signum Naturale (Natural Sign): These are signs that signify by their very nature (e.g., smoke signifying fire or a concept signifying an object).
  • Dialectica (Logic): This discipline is grounded in the signum naturale of the mind—the mental concept. Mastri views logic as the science of "second intentions" (mental signs of signs) that allow for the organization of knowledge.
• Foundation in the Signum ad Placitum:
  • Signum ad Placitum (Conventional Sign):These are signs that signify by human convention or will, primarily spoken and written words.
  • Grammatica (Grammar): This is the foundation for the correct construction of conventional signs (words) to ensure they properly represent mental concepts.
  • Rethorica (Rhetoric): This discipline focuses on the use of these conventional signs to move or persuade the will of others, building upon the basic structures of grammar and logic. 

Why this is the basis for the three areas:
Mastri argues that human knowledge and communication are entirely mediated by signs. By establishing a general theory of the sign (semiotics) as a prerequisite, he provides a common "genus" or starting point for the three sciences of language: 

1. Grammar governs the form of the sign.
2. Logic governs the truth and relation of the natural sign (concepts).
3. Rhetoric governs the utility and affect of the sign in social interaction. 

This systematic classification allowed Mastri to present a unified Cursus Philosophicus where the study of the mind (logic) and the study of language (grammar/rhetoric) were seen as interdependent branches of a single "science of signs."