Porphyry's theory on linguistic simplicity and complexity in the frame of Neoplatonic teaching

In this paper an attempt is made to contextualize the views of the Neoplatonic commentator Porphyry concerning language’s progression from simplicity to complexity, into the curricula of the Alexandrian School of philosophy, in terms of proceeding from simple to complex philosophical reflection and reasoning. “Simple words” are considered by Porphyry and later Neoplatonic commentators as the subject-matter of the Categories, while the “more complex” level of human signification, i.e., the “second imposition of words”, is considered as the subject-matter of the second logical work, i.e., On Interpretation. Given the established sequence of the treatises in the Organon within the Neoplatonic curricula, the importance of this linguistic step from simplicity to complexity can be related to the respective progress in thinking and reasoning.