Peter Abelard (or Abailard) was born in Nantes in 1079, a pupil of William of Champeux in Paris. Abelard would later combat William’s views and compelled him to modify them. Abelard studied theology under Anselm of Laon, and then later returned to Paris in 1113. He became lover of Heloise, niece of Canon Fulbert who had him castrated and he and Heloise had to retire from the world.
Abelard’s most famous books, composed in 1121-22 is Sic et Non, ‘Yes and No’ in which he gives dialectical arguments for and against a great variety of theses often without attempting to arrive at a conclusion. We must note here that Abelard likes disputation itself, considers it useful as sharpening the wits. According to Russell, B, Abelard’s view is that (apart from Scripture) dialectic is the sole road to truth. To Abelard, nothing outside the Scriptures is infallible: even Apostles and Fathers may err . This view was considered heretical in his days.
Before considering his influence on medieval philosophy, we must note here that Abelard considered logic ‘the Christian science’ and made play with its derivation from ‘logos’. ‘In the beginning was the Logos’ from St. John’s Gospel, this, he thought proves the dignity of logic . Abelard’s chief importance is in logic, the theory of knowledge, and metaphysics . Under metaphysics, Abelard addressed the problem of Universals which we will look at briefly.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Peter Abelard
- Universals
- Abelard's Influence
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This text aims to provide a comprehensive overview of Peter Abelard's contributions to medieval philosophy, focusing on his theories of logic, metaphysics, and the problem of universals. It examines his ideas in the context of his time, highlighting his influence on subsequent philosophical developments.
- Abelard's life and work
- His views on logic and the theory of knowledge
- His approach to the problem of universals
- His influence on other medieval philosophers
- The role of faith and reason in Abelard's thought
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Peter Abelard: This chapter introduces the life and works of Peter Abelard, highlighting his early career as a student and his later influence on medieval philosophy. It discusses his famous book, Sic et Non, and his views on the importance of dialectic.
- Universals: This chapter focuses on Abelard's theory of universals, which posits that universal terms are not things but words. It examines his arguments against Roscelin's nominalism and his own position on the nature of universals. This chapter also explores Abelard's views on the role of abstraction in forming universal concepts.
- Abelard's Influence: This chapter examines the impact of Abelard's work on later medieval philosophers, including William of Champeux and Peter Lombard. It highlights his influence on the development of logic, metaphysics, and the theory of universals.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This text explores the work of Peter Abelard, a prominent medieval philosopher. Key themes include logic, theory of knowledge, metaphysics, the problem of universals, dialectic, nominalism, and Abelard's influence on later philosophers.
- Quote paper
- Mbogo Wa Wambui (Author), 2013, Medieval Philosophy: Peter Abelard, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/703510
