PHIL 752

Ancient/Medieval Philosophy 1

Please note: this is archived course information from 2014 for PHIL 752.

Description

An exploration the treatment of the problem of universals in the work of a number of leading mediaeval philosophers.

The problem of universals was made irresistible for mediaeval philosophy by the ancient philosopher Porphyry refusing to offer a solution. The whole range of possible solutions to the question of what makes, for example, red things to be red, or humans to be human, is found in the middle ages. In Peter Abaelard’s work we will explore a highly developed anti-realist solution according to which universals are simply significant words and there is nothing in the world apart from individual substances and accidents. In contrast we will see that John Duns Scotus advocates a realist solution and so has to explain what makes individuals to be individuals. His answer is his famous appeal to ‘thisness’, or haecceity. William of Ockham criticises Scotus and argues once more for anti-realism developing an account of the mind and of language which supports this.

Availability 2014

Semester 2

Lecturer(s)

Coordinator(s) Professor Chris Martin

Reading/Texts

Paul V. Spade.  Five Texts on the Mediaeval Problem of Universals : Porphyry, Boethius, Abelard, Duns Scotus, Ockham. Hackett, 1994.

Assessment

Points

PHIL 752: 15 points

Prerequisites

Restrictions