Revision of the author's thesis (Ph. D.)--Emory University, 2009.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 267-284) and indexes.

Preliminary Material / M. Delcogliano -- Introduction / M. Delcogliano -- Chapter One. The Heteroousians On Names And Naming / M. Delcogliano -- Chapter Two. The Heteroousians And Philosophical Theories Of Names / M. Delcogliano -- Chapter Three. The Heteroousian Theory Of Names In Its Christian Context / M. Delcogliano -- Chapter Four. Basil’s Critiques Of Eunomius’s Theory Of Names / M. Delcogliano -- Chapter Five. Basil’s Notionalist Theory Of Names / M. Delcogliano -- Chapter Six. Basil On Names As Revelatory Of Properties / M. Delcogliano -- General Conclusion / M. Delcogliano -- Bibliography / M. Delcogliano -- Index Locorum / M. Delcogliano -- Index Of Scripture / M. Delcogliano -- General Index / M. Delcogliano.

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Basil of Caesarea’s debate with Eunomius of Cyzicus in the early 360s marks a turning point in the fourth-century Trinitarian controversies. It shifted focus to methodological and epistemological disputes underlying theological differences. This monograph explores one of these fundamental points of contention: the proper theory of names. It offers a revisionist interpretation of Eunomius’s theory as a corrective to previous approaches, contesting the widespread assumption that it is indebted to Platonist sources and showing that it was developed by drawing upon proximate Christian sources. While Eunomius held that names uniquely predicated of God communicated the divine essence, in response Basil developed a “notionalist” theory wherein all names signify primarily notions and secondarily properties, not essence.