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The
Roman Empire became Christian in 323 AD; about two centuries
later, the rest of Europe began converting to Christianity.
Medieval culture blurred the line between the sacred and the
secular, and political and religious hierarchies vied for influence.
In education, the liberal arts were seen as secular instruments
for seeking sacred or divine truths. But when Aristotle's
works were translated from Arabic, there began to be conflicts
between classical and sacred learning -- between
reason and faith. Aristotle offered powerful views
on good and evil, knowledge, the soul, and the Prime Mover (e.g.
God). Were Aristotle's teachings to be accommodated -- or denounced?
Thomas
Aquinas, a Dominican friar, was a leading advocate
of harmonizing Aristotle and Christianity. But the Franciscans
had much confidence in reason; John Duns Scotus was part
of this resistance to rationalism, but he also encouraged his
fellow Franciscans not to be too skeptical. His reputation as
the "Subtle Doctor" reflects his attempt to bridge
these opposing points of view.
Among
the topics that received great attention from medieval Christian
philosophers were (1) the existence and meaning of universals,
such as "being" or "existence"; (2) whether
we can know about God only through analogies, and whether
there is a singular, "univocal" meaning of
existence; (3) whether we acquire knowledge through abstraction
or divine illumination; and (4) which distinctions are
based in the nature of things and which are based in
the way we see things. Most of all, there was an intellectual
contest over the power of reason in light of various beliefs
about the influence and scope of God's will. The scholastic
rejection of science and classical learning ironically paved
the way for the Renaissance, the scientific revolution, and
modernity -- which rendered elements of medieval Christian
philosophy into what's been called the "discarded image."
Nevertheless, the theme of reason vs. faith still endures in
new and different ways -- and it is powerfully illuminated by
the work of medieval philosophers.
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On
two audiotapes - about three hours in length.
Narrator: Lynn Redgrave
Author: Professor Ralph McInerny
Editor: Professor John Lachs and
Wendy McElroy
Publisher: Knowledge Products, Inc.
This
title is part of the Audio Classics Series by
Knowledge Products. Knowledge Products publishes a variety of
audio presentations on the great ideas and events of history.
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