Dominic Borg
Encyclopedia
Dominic Borg was a minor Maltese philosopher who specialised in logic and rhetoric.
. The extant works of Borg reveal practically nothing in terms of biographical data. What they do attest to is his philosophical prowess and his clarity of thought. Unfortunately, no portrait of Dominic Borg seems to exist so far.
and one on logic
. Others might have been lost or are currently displaced.
as MS. 718#10. It is his most relevant extant work to date. The manuscript is made up of forty folios, and is compiled as part of a miscellaneous volume of works. Basically, Borg’s manuscript is a study of rhetoric, and is composed as a series of epistles. The first epistle is an investigation into the teachings of Aristotle
. Throughout all of the epistles, Borg makes liberal use of Cicero
.
Another extant work on rhetoric from Borg’s hand is Compendio Brevissimo delli piu inutili precetti per comporre epistola (A Very Short Collection on the Minute Rules for Writing Epistles), composed in 1668. This manuscript is also in Latin, and is held at the National Library of Malta
as MS. 718#11). It contains only twelve folios, and is organised in chapters (some of which are divided into smaller parts). The work investigates the nature of epistles, and the proper manner with which epistles should be composed. The work is not particularly speculative. It is more of a short and technical exercise in rhetoric. Again, Cicero
is quoted profusely.
as MS. 718#2. This work is made up of just sixteen folios, and is actually a very simple piece of writing where Borg examines the various distinctions of logic. The composition is divided under various sub-titles.
Life
Little is known about the private life of Dominic Borg. Neither his dates of birth and death nor his birth place in Malta are identified as yet. He probably lectured at the Collegium Melitense in VallettaValletta
Valletta is the capital of Malta, colloquially known as Il-Belt in Maltese. It is located in the central-eastern portion of the island of Malta, and the historical city has a population of 6,098. The name "Valletta" is traditionally reserved for the historic walled citadel that serves as Malta's...
. The extant works of Borg reveal practically nothing in terms of biographical data. What they do attest to is his philosophical prowess and his clarity of thought. Unfortunately, no portrait of Dominic Borg seems to exist so far.
Known works
Only three works of Dominic Borg are known to exist. Two on rhetoricRhetoric
Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the facility of speakers or writers who attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. As a subject of formal study and a productive civic practice, rhetoric has played a central role in the Western...
and one on logic
Logic
In philosophy, Logic is the formal systematic study of the principles of valid inference and correct reasoning. Logic is used in most intellectual activities, but is studied primarily in the disciplines of philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and computer science...
. Others might have been lost or are currently displaced.
Rhetoric
Borg’s De Arte Rethorica: Brevis Notitia (A Short Note on the Art of Rhetoric), a work in Latin completed in 1668, is held in manuscript form at the National Library of MaltaNational Library of Malta
The National Library of Malta began in 1555. It is currently the legal deposit and copyright for Malta. Its collection spans the personal libraries of the Knights of Malta , including archives from the medieval Università dei Giurati of Mdina and Valletta.-Early history:The idea of a public Library...
as MS. 718#10. It is his most relevant extant work to date. The manuscript is made up of forty folios, and is compiled as part of a miscellaneous volume of works. Basically, Borg’s manuscript is a study of rhetoric, and is composed as a series of epistles. The first epistle is an investigation into the teachings of Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
. Throughout all of the epistles, Borg makes liberal use of Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
.
Another extant work on rhetoric from Borg’s hand is Compendio Brevissimo delli piu inutili precetti per comporre epistola (A Very Short Collection on the Minute Rules for Writing Epistles), composed in 1668. This manuscript is also in Latin, and is held at the National Library of Malta
National Library of Malta
The National Library of Malta began in 1555. It is currently the legal deposit and copyright for Malta. Its collection spans the personal libraries of the Knights of Malta , including archives from the medieval Università dei Giurati of Mdina and Valletta.-Early history:The idea of a public Library...
as MS. 718#11). It contains only twelve folios, and is organised in chapters (some of which are divided into smaller parts). The work investigates the nature of epistles, and the proper manner with which epistles should be composed. The work is not particularly speculative. It is more of a short and technical exercise in rhetoric. Again, Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
is quoted profusely.
Logic
Borg’s work on logic is called Brevis Introductio ad Logicam Artis (A Brief Introduction to the Art of Logic), composed in 1669. The manuscript is in Latin, and held at the National Library of MaltaNational Library of Malta
The National Library of Malta began in 1555. It is currently the legal deposit and copyright for Malta. Its collection spans the personal libraries of the Knights of Malta , including archives from the medieval Università dei Giurati of Mdina and Valletta.-Early history:The idea of a public Library...
as MS. 718#2. This work is made up of just sixteen folios, and is actually a very simple piece of writing where Borg examines the various distinctions of logic. The composition is divided under various sub-titles.
Sources
- Mark Montebello, Il-Ktieb tal-Filosofija f’Malta (A Source Book of Philosophy in Malta), PIN Publications, Malta, 2001.