Inference from Signs: Ancient Debates about the Nature of Evidence

Abstract

James Allen's purpose in this book is 'to explore some of the more important attempts that were made to understand the nature of evidence after it became an object for theoretical reflection in the ancient Greek and Roman world ' [1]. This statement suggests that the author's investigation centers on an issue with which ancient philosophers concerned themselves in their inquiries into human knowledge. But Oxford University Press advertises Allen's book as making an important contribution not only to the history of ancient philosophy, but also to the history of ancient science. For instance, in her remarks on the back of the dust jacket, Gisela Striker predicts that Inference from Signs will become 'the authoritative work on this important chapter in the histories of science and philosophy'. Similarly, after noting the considerable role that inference from signs played in ancient philosophical and scientific methods, the blurb on the leaf of the dust jacket concludes that the book will fill 'an important gap in the histories of science and philosophy'. The following discussion will first summarize the main points of Inference from Signs and then go on to consider briefly the extent to which the book might contribute to the history of ancient science.