Medieval philosophy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.

Philosophy seated between the seven liberal arts – Picture from the Hortus deliciarum of Herrad von Landsberg (12th century)

Medieval philosophy is the philosophy of Western Europe in the "era" now known as medieval or the Middle Ages, the period roughly extending from the fall of the Roman Empire to the Renaissance. Though medieval philosophy is widely varied, one defining feature which distinguishes this period, in the western world, is the degree to which competing or contradictory philosophical views and systems were brought into dialogue with each other.

From the Neoplatonic (Johannes Scotus Eriugena, Saint Anselm) figures who dominated the early Middle Ages, to the Peripatetic debates of the 12th and 13th century, to the Nominalist and Voluntarist conflicts of the 14th and 15th, it is hard to find a similar period in the history of recorded thought so populated with figures who believed their ideas could be reconciled, given enough debate and inquiry. In fact, this belief is the very essence of the philosophical mode of inquiry most closely associated with the medieval period, scholastic philosophy.

[edit] Trends and Concepts in Medieval Philosophy

In the beginning of early rationalism, the concept of Plato, with his emphasis on spirituality, a pessimistic outlook of the world, and even the concept of the Trinity, influenced Augustine of Hippo and other early neoplatonist figures. It is important not to exaggerate either the ignorance of medieval philosophy or its sophistication.

Many of those medieval thinkers greatly influenced future philosophers and rationalists such as Spinoza, Leibniz and others who attempted to prove God's existence. It is popularly believed that faith overpowered reason in significance, as philosophers such as Anselm maintained. Nevertheless, it was not the case with all philosophers. Gilson, in his book "Reason and Revelation in the Middle Ages" discusses Averroes and the Latins such as Seiger who maintained what Gilson called the primacy of reason. Albertus Magnus and Thomas Aquinas emphasized the role of philosophy and theology while taking care not to confuse the two. John Wipple illustrates the purely philosophical thought of St. Thomas Aquinas in his book "Metaphysical Themes in Thomas Aquinas" and other works. Theology, though a leading field in the Middle Ages, was preceded by a study of "arts" or philosophy. With the contribution of Boethius, and the first Scholastic philosophers, key Aristotle works and ideas survived though most translations which had been complied in Moorish Spain. Within Medieval philosophy, the question of whether God could be comprehended by the human mind was a key discussion and is still a large contrast between Orthodox and Catholic theology. St. Anselm produced ideas with a significant amount of influence by Aristotle and stated all things that exist can be comprehended. A recommended book discussing Scholasticism and the discovery of Aristotle's ideas is Aristotle's Children.

[edit] List of philosophers

Plato, Seneca, and Aristotle from a medieval manuscript, Devotional and Philosophical Writings, c. 1330

For a full list, see Category:Medieval philosophers.

• Augustine of Hippo (354-430)
• Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite (5th century)
• Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (480-c. 525)
• John Scotus Eriugena (810-877)
• Anselm of Canterbury (1034-1109)
• Pierre Abelard (1079-1142)
• Hugh of St. Victor (1096-1141)
• Peter Lombard (c. 1105-1160)
• Maimonides (1135-1204)
• William of Auxerre (1150-1231)
• Robert Grosseteste (1175-1253)
• Albertus Magnus (1193-1280)
• Alexander of Hales (c. 1200-1245)
• Henry of Ghent (1217-1293)
• Roger Bacon (1220-1292)
• Bonaventure (1221-1274)
• Thomas Aquinas (1224-1274)
• Ramon Llull (1235-1315)
• Giles of Rome (c. 1243-1316)
• Godfrey of Fontaines (c. 1250-1309)
• Duns Scotus (1266-1308)
• Peter Auriol (1280-1322)
• William of Ockham (1285-1347)
• Jean Buridan (1300-1358)
• Gregory of Rimini (1300-1358)
• Nicole Oresme (c. 1323-1382)
• Georgius Gemistus Plethon (1355-1452)
• Johannes Bessarion (1395-1472)

[edit] See also

• Christian philosophy
• Early Muslim philosophy
• Jewish philosophy
• Scholastic philosophy
• Renaissance of the 12th century
• Supposition Theory

[edit] External links

• Medieval Philosophy section at EpistemeLinks
• Article Philosophy at The Catholic Encyclopedia
• History of Western philosophy: Medieval philosophy
• Some medieval Jewish philosophers
• The Fathers, the Scholastics, and Ourselves by von Balthasar
• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy:
  • Medieval Philosophy
  • Literary forms of Medieval Philosophy
• Medieval Philosophy and Theology journal

[edit] Further reading

• Maurer, Armand A. [1982]. Medieval Philosophy. 2nd ed. Toronto: Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies.
• Schoedinger, Andrew B., ed. [1996]. Readings in Medieval Philosophy. New York: Oxford University Press.