John of Jandun

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John of Jandun (Jean de Jandun) (d. 1328) was an averroist philosopher, theologian, and political writer. He was born at Jandun in the Ardennes, in what is now Belgium. Also known as Johannes de Genduno, de Ganduno, and de Gandavo, Jean de Jandum, Joannes Jandum.

He was a leading interpreter of Aristotle and philosopher at Paris, and has traditionally been cited as co-author with Marsilius of Padua of Defensor Pacis. It is now doubted, for example by Quentin Skinner, whether he did indeed write the first part of that treatise (on internal evidence, with Skinner interpreting the content in relation to Italian politics outside the Parisian's experience).

He is also credited with writing the first tourist guide to Paris.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, which calls him John of Janduno, he was born about the year 1300, graduated in arts at the Collège de Navarre in Paris, and wrote a work entitled "De Laudibus Parisiis." It also considers him as distinct from John of Gand. Confusion is also possible with Jean de Gand, the French name of John of Gaunt.

This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913.