Die causa essentialis-Theorie als Grundlage der Sprachtheorie?

In the article are discussed the semantic theories of Dietrich of Freiberg and Meister Eckhart in the comparative way. The both Dominicans are known through their theory of intellect, but for declamation of this theory they are choosing the certain model of language and of predication. The aim of the article is to outline the specific aspect of their semantic theories that are influenced by the modi significanditheory on the one hand and by the causa-essentialis-theory on the other hand. The causa-essentialis-theory becomes a part of their philosophy of language in the sense, that both Dominicans are thinking the parts of the sentence – subject and predicate – in the ontological terms: both of them are considering the predicate as a cause, and subject as a caused one. Therefore they understand the semantical and the ontological entities in the reciprocity. Such an ontologization of semantic results from the inherence-model of language that is the basis for understanding of sentences expressing the definition according to Dietrich von Freiberg as well as Meister Eckhart.

Published online: 31 March 2016
https://doi.org/10.1075/bpjam.18.05tso