High Middle Ages
- In the 11th century the problem of univerals came to prominence. Rocellinus attached the reality of univerals, which he regarded as abstractions, names (hence: Nominalism)
- Peter Abelard (1079-1142)
- Professor at University of Paris
- attempted to find a middle way ($quot;Conceptualism") between Realism & Nominalism
- perfected the literary style based on the disputation, in his great work
Sic et non (&qupt;Yes and No")
- his ontology: univerals exist in three ways:
- "e;before" in the mind of God
- in things (as attributes)
- after, as concepts abstracted from experience of things
- Aquinas (1225-1274)
- prodigious output over seven year period
- the form of presentatiion: questin, received answers, truth from scripture, objections to the received answers, proof of the correct answer
- two fold nature of truth: reason & revelation. They agree. We believe in order t understand & understand to know our beliefs.
- syncretistic philosopher: sought to aopply newly rediscovered philosphy of Aristotle to the main problems of philosophy
- like Aristotle, emphasized compromise, and reasoned common sense.
- Knowledge is conceptual, but there is nothing in the understanding that was not firts in the senses
- five proofs for the exiesntce of God (the "five ways")
revised December 10, 1996
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