The shifting focus of theology : from texts to questions to praxis : inaugural lecture delivered at Rhodes University

Inaugural lecture delivered at Rhodes UniversityRhodes University Libraries (Digitisation

Boethius against Universals: The Arguments in the Second Commentary on Porphyry

A study of the part of Boethius' Second Commentary on Porphyry where he presents the case against metaphysical universals. The paper discusses: (a) where Boethius got his famous three-part description of a universal as something present as a whole, simultaneously and in some appropriate metaphysically intimate way to several things at once, (b) the curious and little-explored "infinite regress" argument contained in the passage, and (c) the overall structure of the passage, how the various arguments are related to one another

Quidam homo est asinus : the originality and influence of Peter Abelard upon Medieval thought.

Historians and philosophers alike remember Peter Abelard as the most brilliant, original, and influential philosopher of the twelfth century. Much ofthis reputation stems not from Abelard\u27s intellectual contributions but due to Abelard\u27s scandalous personal life and the nonexistence of documents of Abelard\u27s contemporary philosophers. Though brilliant, Abelard exerted little influence through his ideas. Unlike a modem professor who changes the paradigms of his discipline with innovative theses, Abelard was a skilled teacher who sought to teach students the skills they required to advance their careers within a reformed Catholic Church, which was newly interested in logic, philosophy, and theology. Seen from this perspective, Abelard has much more in common with his contemporary intellectuals and is more consistent with the context of his age than the secondary scholarship typically recognizes

Individuals as Universals: Audacious Views in Early Twelfth-Century Realism

This is the author accepted manuscript. It is currently under an indefinite embargo pending publication by Johns Hopkins University Press.This article investigates a twelfth-century realist view on universals, the $\textit{individuum}$-theory. The $\textit{individuum}$-theory is criticised by Peter Abelard and Joscelin of Soissons, and endorsed by $\textit{‘Quoniam de generali’}$ as well as by the unpublished $\textit{Isagoge}$ commentary found in MS Paris, BnF, lat. 3237, which is taken into account for the first time. The $\textit{individuum}$-theory blurs traditional distinctions between nominalism and realism by claiming that the universal is the individual thing itself. Its main strategies for such a claim are presented, namely: putting forward identity “by indifference,” distinguishing $\textit{status}$ and $\textit{attentiones}$, and neutralising opposite predicates. It is argued that these strategies have parallels in Peter Abelard’s own views. The $\textit{individuum}$-theory’s paradoxical realism seems to defend universal $\textit{res}$ after criticisms were advanced against more traditional material essence realism and it seems to have been using some of the nominalists’ tools (particularly Abelardian tools) in its endeavour.British Academ

El resultado del conocimiento universal en el segundo comentario de Boecio a la Isagogé de Porfirio

El autor trata tres temas presentes en el segundo comentario de Boecio a la Isagogé de Porfirio. El primero muestra que cuando Boecio argumenta contra el universal ontológico de Porfirio, lo hace en términos cuantitativos; por ello la argumentación de Boecio contra el realismo porfiriano es diferente, por ej., de la argumentación que utiliza Abelardo en su Logica Ingredientibus. Mientras para Boecio lo que es uno no puede ser simultáneamente múltiple a causa de una imposibilidad cuantitativa, para Abelardo la misma imposibilidad resulta de una reducción al absurdo, pues la misma res universalis no puede ser racional en un sujeto e irracional en otro. El segundo tema es la distinción boeciana entre modo de ser y modo de ser conocido del universal. El tercer tema es la posibilidad de aferrar el universal boeciano a través de una fórmula apta para tipificar ese universal que, según Boecio, sería deficiente si fuera solo gnoseológico o solo ontológico; esa fórmula debe poder dar cuentas, simultáneamente, de ambas dimensiones del universal, es decir, la dimensión real-ontológica y la intelectual-gnoseológica.The author deals with three themes of the second Boethius´ commentary on Porphyrius´ Isagogé. The first theme is to show that when Boethius argues against Porphyrius ontological universal, his argument is quantitative. Boethius argumentation against the porphyrian realism is therefore different, for example, of the arguments later used by Abaelard in his Logica Ingredientibus. While for Boethius what is one cannot be simultaneously multiple because of a quantitative inability, Abailard afirms the same impossibility, but his argument is the reductio ad absurdum. The second theme is the boethian distinction beetwen mode of being and mode of be known . The third themeconcerns the possibility of holding the boethian universal through an expression suitable to characterize that universal which, according with Boethius, would be deficient if it is only gnoseological or only ontological.Fil: Bertelloni, Francisco. Universidad de Buenos Aire

Os universais em Abelardo: suas críticas ao realismo e sua solução nominalista para o problema

In this thesis, I investigate Abelard’s arguments about three doctrines dealing with universals in his period (12th century) – according to them, universals are things (res) – and his solution to the problem – according to which universals are words. For this, I analyze Abelard’s twenty-two arguments in his Logica “Ingredientibus” and Logica “Nostrorum petitioni sociorum” against realist doctrines, according to which universals are things (a res, understood as an essence, a collection or a convergence of individuals). After this, I analyze Abelard’s solution to the problem, according to which universals are words, and how this solution is related to his notion of individuals’ status. In these works by Abelard, I also analyze how he describes the concept produced by the thought of those who hear a common noun. Through these analyses, I formulate and demonstrate two hypotheses: that the Abelardian status has an equivalent role to the universal res in realist doctrines, and that Abelard, in the mentioned works, develops only one theory about the meaning of common nouns, despite the use of different arguments for doing so.Nesta tese, investigo os argumentos de Abelardo a respeito de três doutrinas que tratam dos universais em sua época (século XII) – segundo estas, os universais são uma coisa (res) – e a solução por ele apresentada para o problema – segundo a qual os universais são palavras. Para isso, analiso os vinte e dois argumentos de Abelardo em suas Logica “Ingredientibus” e Logica “Nostrorum petitioni sociorum” contra as doutrinas realistas (que afirmam que universal é uma coisa, isto é, uma res, descrita como uma essência, uma coleção ou uma convergência de indivíduos). Em seguida, analiso a solução de Abelardo para o problema, segundo a qual os universais são palavras, e como esta solução está relacionada à sua noção de status dos indivíduos. Nas referidas obras, analisamos ainda como Abelardo caracteriza aquilo que é concebido, isto é, produzido pelo pensamento de quem ouve um substantivo comum. Por meio dessas análises, formulo e demonstro duas hipóteses: que o status abelardiano desempenha um papel equivalente ao da res universal das doutrinas realistas e que, nas obras em questão, Abelardo desenvolve apenas uma teoria sobre a significação dos substantivos comuns, apesar de utilizar argumentos diferentes ao fazê-lo.Dados abertos - Sucupira - Teses e dissertações (2021

Il secondo realismo del XII secolo: Gualtiero di Mortagne e la teoria dell'indiuiduum

This research project has two main objectives. (i) First, its aim is to study a realist solution to the problem of universals from the early 12th century. This is called the indiuiduum-theory (=IndT; previous denominations include: indifference-theory, status-theory, second collectio-theory, etc.). IndT claims the universal to be a thing (res); in fact, it claims the universal to be the individual thing itself in one of its states (status). It makes use of some key notions of Abelardâs philosophy to produce a remarkably non-Abelardian sort of solution. The thesis subjects IndT to scrutiny by taking into consideration five main sources (which either describe it in order to criticise it, or in order to support it). They are: Abelard's Logica "Ingredientibus", Logica "Nostrorum", "De generibus et speciebus' (transcribed directly from ms. Orléans, Bibliothèque Municipale, 266, pp. 154b-163a), "Quoniam de generali" and the Isagoge Commentary "P17" (from ms. Paris, BnF, lat. 3237, ff. 123ra/124va, 125ra/130rb). Not only IndT, but the whole description of realism found in these texts is investigated. This includes an analysis of other realist views (different versions of material essence realism; the collectio-theory; a third realist solution in the Logica "Nostrorum") together with a catalogue and detailed analysis of the seventy-eight arguments presented against such realist views to be found in the five sources. (ii) A second aim of this work is to investigate whether IndT can be attributed to Walter of Mortagne, who was a master in Reims and Laon in the first decades of the 12th century. The attribution, which is based on John of Salisbury's testimony in Metalogicon II, 17, is to be compared with Johnâs Policraticus

Between Similarity and Non-similarity. The Nature of Theological Language in the Thought of Peter Abelard

the aim of this paper is to answer to the following question: How should theological propositions, originating from the language used to describe creatures, be understood so as to avoid idolatry, that is reducing God to the category of contingent entities?Using the theory of similarities formulated by Peter Abelard, I pointed out that the risk of committing theological errors decreases when language formulas are treated as models, and their meaning is understood in a figurative way. Such an attitude enables us to acknowledge the fact that language can be only partially adequate to the subject under discussion, and makes us aware that we describe only one aspect of a given theological phenomenon, as the chosen model may not correspond to other aspects.Such understanding of the theological language calls for a constant reinterpretation of theological propositions. If images used in theology are linked to the structure of the world, each change in the scientific understanding of this structure brought by empirical sciences, should lead to changes in the language used by theology. Lack of such changes in the system of religious beliefs will lead to a decrease in the credibility of theology and push its truths towards the category of myths and fables.the aim of this paper is to answer to the following question: How should theological propositions, originating from the language used to describe creatures, be understood so as to avoid idolatry, that is reducing God to the category of contingent entities?Using the theory of similarities formulated by Peter Abelard, I pointed out that the risk of committing theological errors decreases when language formulas are treated as models, and their meaning is understood in a figurative way. Such an attitude enables us to acknowledge the fact that language can be only partially adequate to the subject under discussion, and makes us aware that we describe only one aspect of a given theological phenomenon, as the chosen model may not correspond to other aspects.Such understanding of the theological language calls for a constant reinterpretation of theological propositions. If images used in theology are linked to the structure of the world, each change in the scientific understanding of this structure brought by empirical sciences, should lead to changes in the language used by theology. Lack of such changes in the system of religious beliefs will lead to a decrease in the credibility of theology and push its truths towards the category of myths and fables

Language, memory, and sense perception in the religious and technological culture of antiquity and the Middle Ages

Kelber, Werner H.Not