Medieval Philosophy

 

Scholasticism (c. 1000–1300)

Scholasticism is literally the philosophy of “schools”: Christian, Muslim, and Jewish philosophers pursuing minute logical distinctions to reconcile faith and reason.

• Theories of universals

  1. Realism: Anselm (1033–1109): Universals exist independent of particular things.

  2. Nominalism: Roscelin (c. 1045–c. 1120): Universals are a product of language.

  3. Conceptualism: Abelard (1079–1142): Universals are mental concepts.

• Ontological argument for the existence of God (Anselm)

  • We can conceive of a perfect being, i.e. God; if that being did not exist, it would not be perfect; therefore, the perfect being, God, must exist.

• Arab philosophers Avicenna (980–1037) and Averroës (1126–1198) revive interest in Aristotle

• Moses Maimonides (1138–1204): In Guide to the Perplexed, argues for the compatibility of Aristotelian philosophy and Judaism.

• St. Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274): Summa Theologiae and Summa Contra Gentiles

  1. Reconciles faith and reason

     • Natural theology: The product of human reason and observation

     • Revealed theology: The product of faith and revelation (in Scripture)

  2. Rejects the ontological argument and uses Artistotelian theories of causation and purpose to defend God

• Ockham’s razor (William of Ockham c. 1287–c. 1348): The simplest plausible explanation for something is the best