Theological Quodlibeta in the Middle Ages


Book Description

The second of two volumes on special theological disputations from ca. 1230-1330 in which audience members asked the era's greatest intellectuals questions de quolibet, "about anything." The variety of the material and the authors' stature make the genre uniquely fascinating.




The Political Animal in Medieval Philosophy


Book Description

In The Political Animal in Medieval Philosophy Juhana Toivanen investigates the foundations of human social life through the Aristotelian notion of ‘political animal’, as it was used in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.




The A to Z of Medieval Philosophy and Theology


Book Description

The Middle Ages is often viewed as a period of low intellectual achievement. The name itself refers to the time between the high philosophical and literary accomplishments of the Greco-Roman world and the technological advances that were achieved and philosophical and theological alternatives that were formulated in the modern world that followed. However, having produced such great philosophers as Anselm, Peter Abelard, John Duns Scotus, William of Ockham, Peter Lombard, and the towering Thomas Aquinas, it hardly seems fair to label the medieval period as such. Examining the influence of ancient Greek philosophy as well as of the Arabian and Hebrew scholars who transmitted it, The A to Z of Medieval Philosophy and Theology presents the philosophy of the Christian West from the 9th to the early 17th century. This is accomplished through a chronology, an introduction, appendixes, a bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on the philosophers, concepts, issues, institutions, and events, making this an important reference for the study of the progression of human thought.







Categories and Logic in Duns Scotus


Book Description

This volume deals with thirteenth-century interpretations of Aristotle’s Categories, providing at the same time an introduction to some main themes of medieval philosophical logic. It analyzes various answers to the question whether the Aristotle’s short and influential treatise is a logical or a metaphysical work, and to the connected question, whether categories are words, concepts, or things. It also presents the doctrine of the so-called ‘second intentions’, and traces the influence that it had on the interpretation of the Categories in authors such as Thomas Aquinas, Peter of Auvergne, Simon of Faversham, Radulphus Brito, and Duns Scotus. The last two chapters, entirely devoted to Duns Scotus’s reading of the Categories, provide a systematic introduction to Scotus’s commentary on Aristotle’s treatise, which has hitherto been largely neglected.




A Cultural History of Animals in the Medieval Age


Book Description

A Choice Outstanding Academic Title, 2008 A Cultural History of Animals in the Medieval Age investigates the changing roles of animals in medieval culture, economy and society in the period 1000 to 1400. The period saw significant changes in scientific and philosophical approaches to animals as well as their representation in art. Animals were omnipresent in medieval everyday life. They had enormous importance for medieval agriculture and trade and were also hunted for food and used in popular entertainments. At the same time, animals were kept as pets and used to display their owner's status, whilst medieval religion attributed complex symbolic meanings to animals. A Cultural History of Animals in the Medieval Age presents an overview of the period and continues with essays on the position of animals in contemporary symbolism, hunting, domestication, sports and entertainment, science, philosophy, and art.




Oresme's Livre de Politiques and the France of Charles V


Book Description

Charles V was a scholarly king who commissioned French versions of ancient & medieval treatises for the express purpose of guiding his government. To translate Aristotle's "Politics" he chose Nicole Oresme, an ingenious philosopher whose aptitude & attitudes made him an effective supporter of the Valois monarchy. Oresme's task was to take his text out of the language of a small but international community of scholars & adapt it to serve the French people, making it accessible to a new & broad audience. Contents: Oresme & his Version of the "Politics"; Oresme & the Commentary Tradition of the "Politics"; Nat. Sovereignty & the Hierarchy of Communities; The Public State & the Common Good; The "Politics," the "Livre de Politiques," & the Church; Aristotle, Oresme, & Gallicanism; Conclusion; & Bibliography.




Theological Quodlibeta in the Middle Ages: The Fourteenth Century


Book Description

This is the second of two volumes on theological quodlibeta, records of special disputations held before Christmas and Easter ca. 1230-1330, mostly at the University of Paris, in which audience members asked the great masters of theology the questions for debate, questions de quolibet, “about anything.” The variety of the material and the authors’ stature make the genre uniquely fascinating. In Volume II, chapters by acknowledged experts cover the quodlibeta of John Duns Scotus, Peter Auriol, John of Pouilly, Peter of Auvergne, and Thomas Wylton; examine the pertinent writings of the religious orders, including the monks, canons regular, and mendicants; revise our understanding of important manuscripts containing quodlibeta; offer critical editions of significant texts; and demonstrate how these writings are crucial for our knowledge of the history of topics in metaphysics and natural philosophy. For all those interested in medieval studies, especially intellectual history.







Individuation in Scholasticism


Book Description

Examines the place of individuation in the work of over 25 scholastic writers from when Arabic and Greek thought began to impact Europe, until scholasticism died out. Experts on particular authors contribute chapters that cover all the major figures and a representative few of the lesser. Other chapters survey the problem of individuation, the medieval legacy, Islamic and Jewish thought, and the continuing scholastic influence on modern philosophy. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR