An Introduction to Medieval Philosophy: Basic Concepts

The centuries between the fall of the Roman Empire and the dawn of the Renaissance were times of extraordinarily rich intellectual ferment. During this period Christian philosophers and theologians struggled with transcendent questions in philosophy and religion by engaging in debates that advanced long disputed questions. In the process they set the stage for the world of modern thought by their transformation of ideas from antiquity. Reflecting religion′s profound influences on Europe during the Middle Ages, An Introduction to Medieval Philosophy provides a rich overview of philosophy in the world of Latin Christianity.

Arranged thematically around ideas that persistently fascinated medieval philosophers, the text explores in depth such fundamental concepts as Faith and Reason, God, the Divine Ideas, Universals, Transcendentals, Cosmos and Nature, and the Soul. The resolution of theological questions invariably required the careful precision of philosophical distinctions. This book analyzes the ways in which some of the greatest medieval thinkers contributed to the discussion of each of these topics from Augustine of Hippo and Boethius to Aquinas, Scotus, and William of Ockham. Lucid and insightful, An Introduction to Medieval Philosophy offers an illuminating window into the minds of the medieval philosophers who bridged the ancient and modern worlds and developed ideas that have shaped the course of Western thought.

Preface vii

Introduction 1

1 Faith and Reason 9

2 God 37

3 The Divine Ideas 61

4 The Problem of Universals 87

5 The Transcendentals 111

6 Cosmos and Nature 141

7 Soul 173

8 Conclusion 202

Glossary 206

Historical Figures 217

References 222

Index of Names 237

Index of Terms 242

Reverend Joseph W. Koterski, S.J., is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Fordham University. He also serves as the Editor–in–Chief of International Philosophical Quarterly and as Chaplain in Queen′s Court Residential College for Freshmen.

"Another strength of the book is Koterski′s skillful way of motivating philosophical interest in concepts and ideas that might otherwise seem arcane to the beginner . . .Koterski gives a thought provoking analysis of several basic concepts that permeate medieval thought and provides a thorough account of the varied sources that influenced reasoning about these concepts." (American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly, 1 October 2010)

Lively, accessible, and well argued, this is a fine introduction that deserves a wide audience. Summing Up: Recommended. (Choice Reviews, May 2009)

Fr. Joseph Koterski, a philosophy teacher at Fordham University and editor in chief of International Philosophical Quarterly, has penned a lovely little introduction to the basic themes of medieval philosophy. (First Things, January 2009)