In this review, I examine Giuseppe Balido's Italian edition of Tertullian's De Anima. I highlight the innovative elements of the work, particularly Tertullian's application of Stoic logical procedures to theological reasoning. I emphasize Balido's original contribution of employing contemporary symbolic logic to clarify Tertullian's arguments and verify their deductive validity - an approach unprecedented in Tertullian studies. After framing crucial issues in the Introduction, such as the definition of the soul as a "body" and theories of knowledge, I analyze the rich commentary notes that balance philology, logical-formal analysis, philosophical and historical contextualization. Of particular interest are the notes that formalize and explain step-by-step Tertullian's deductive reasoning using symbolic logic, allowing verification of its validity and appreciation of his dialectical method. I define this combination of logical-formal analysis and traditional methods as a significant advancement for the study of ancient philosophical-theological texts. While demanding interdisciplinary expertise, this approach promises deeper insights into the reasoning processes of authors like Tertullian. The challenge is arduous but potentially highly rewarding for patristic hermeneutics. Balido's pioneering work represents a model inviting scholars to explore this new frontier.
De anima. L'anima, Q.S.F. Tertulliano, Giuseppe Balido (intro., trad., note e append.) (2023), Testo latino a fronte, Napoli: Editrice Domenicana Italiana (Patristica 5), 268 pp. ISBN: 979-12-80562-46-3
Giovanni Catapano
2025
Abstract
In this review, I examine Giuseppe Balido's Italian edition of Tertullian's De Anima. I highlight the innovative elements of the work, particularly Tertullian's application of Stoic logical procedures to theological reasoning. I emphasize Balido's original contribution of employing contemporary symbolic logic to clarify Tertullian's arguments and verify their deductive validity - an approach unprecedented in Tertullian studies. After framing crucial issues in the Introduction, such as the definition of the soul as a "body" and theories of knowledge, I analyze the rich commentary notes that balance philology, logical-formal analysis, philosophical and historical contextualization. Of particular interest are the notes that formalize and explain step-by-step Tertullian's deductive reasoning using symbolic logic, allowing verification of its validity and appreciation of his dialectical method. I define this combination of logical-formal analysis and traditional methods as a significant advancement for the study of ancient philosophical-theological texts. While demanding interdisciplinary expertise, this approach promises deeper insights into the reasoning processes of authors like Tertullian. The challenge is arduous but potentially highly rewarding for patristic hermeneutics. Balido's pioneering work represents a model inviting scholars to explore this new frontier.
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