Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Notes for Thursday, 2/9/06
Read to p. 138. Muslim and Jewish philosophers, Faith and Reason, Universals, Thomas Aquinas.
The importance of translations from Hebrew and Arabic in the 11th and 12th centuries. Mohammed born in Mecca in 570, died in Medina in 632.
The main traits of Islam. Monotheism, prayer (5 times daily), brotherhood, forbidding of idolatry, charity toward the poor. Ramadan, pilgrimage to Mecca. Religion dates to early 7th century. Invasion of Christian Spain in 711, continued into France, stopped by Charles Martel. The flowering of Moorish Spain until the reconquest by the Northern Christian powers, which was not complete until 1492. Important scholars during this time period: in Arabic, Averroës (12th century), for his commentaries on Aristotle: in Hebrew, Maimonides (Rambam, from Rabbi Mosche ben Maimon; 1135-1204). The former is noted for his "doctrine of double truth," i.e. the truth of faith and of logic, the latter for his systematization of Aristotle's logic and his Guide of the Perplexed, which attempts to resolve the conflict between science and religion. For both these medieval philosophers, Aristotle was THE philosopher, his sayings referred to as ipse dixits (= literally, "he himself saids").
The problem of faith versus reason. One extreme: Tertullian (from an earlier period, 169-220) who proclaimed "Credo quia absurdum" (="I believe because it is absurd." Note erroneous translation in Palmer, p. 123). The faith/reason controversy in modern times: creationism vs. evolution.
The problem of universals.
Specifically, are universals real? Those who think they are real were called "realists." Those who hold the opposite view, i.e. that words denoting classes of things are merely names (nomen, nominis in Latin, pace Palmer, p. 125), were called nominalists. Note that today the term realist has a very different meaning, more or less the opposite one from that of the medieval polemic. Which side did Wm of Ockham take? Which the Church? The nominalists say that "the system of names creates differences and similarities that only exist in the mind of the speaker or in the system of language itself"A broader question raised by the problem of universals is the ontological status of language and of so-called psychologicall" or mental phenomena.
Thomas Aquinas (1225-74).
His overall task may be said to be the reconciliation between Aristotle and Christianity (as that of Maimonides was to reconcile Aristotle and Judaism). His period marks the ascendancy of Aristotelian over Platonic thought. He was felt to be more modern, more progressive and in keeping with the spirit of the times. The main challenges he faced were the incompatibilities listed on the bottom of page 127. (The earth is eternal, etc.)
Review Thomas's position of that of a moderate realist (129). Universals are "embedded" in particular objects as their "whatness" or essence. We "abstract" the universals from real similarities and differences existing in nature. The abstractions become concepts.
In the area of reason vs. faith, Aquinas distinguishes between philosophy and theology (cf. Venn diagram on p. 130: the intersection of the two is "natural theology." Aquinas believed that it was possible to know at least some truths through both faith and reason (revealed and natural theology). Note the Angelic Doctor's classification of angels, based partially on Genesis 3:24 ("He drove man out, and stationed east of the garden of Eden the cherubim and the fiery ever-turning sword, to guard the way to the tree of life") and Isaiah 6:2 ("Above him stood the seraphim: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly"). Five philosophical arguments for the existence of God: cosmological (a posteriori) arguments.
Thomas's works considered the apogee of scholastic philosophy (= scholasticism, the elucubrations of the Schoolmen, as they are sometimes called).
His solutions to the problem of universals and of faith vs. reason.
The importance of translations from Hebrew and Arabic in the 11th and 12th centuries. Mohammed born in Mecca in 570, died in Medina in 632.
The main traits of Islam. Monotheism, prayer (5 times daily), brotherhood, forbidding of idolatry, charity toward the poor. Ramadan, pilgrimage to Mecca. Religion dates to early 7th century. Invasion of Christian Spain in 711, continued into France, stopped by Charles Martel. The flowering of Moorish Spain until the reconquest by the Northern Christian powers, which was not complete until 1492. Important scholars during this time period: in Arabic, Averroës (12th century), for his commentaries on Aristotle: in Hebrew, Maimonides (Rambam, from Rabbi Mosche ben Maimon; 1135-1204). The former is noted for his "doctrine of double truth," i.e. the truth of faith and of logic, the latter for his systematization of Aristotle's logic and his Guide of the Perplexed, which attempts to resolve the conflict between science and religion. For both these medieval philosophers, Aristotle was THE philosopher, his sayings referred to as ipse dixits (= literally, "he himself saids").
The problem of faith versus reason. One extreme: Tertullian (from an earlier period, 169-220) who proclaimed "Credo quia absurdum" (="I believe because it is absurd." Note erroneous translation in Palmer, p. 123). The faith/reason controversy in modern times: creationism vs. evolution.
The problem of universals.
Specifically, are universals real? Those who think they are real were called "realists." Those who hold the opposite view, i.e. that words denoting classes of things are merely names (nomen, nominis in Latin, pace Palmer, p. 125), were called nominalists. Note that today the term realist has a very different meaning, more or less the opposite one from that of the medieval polemic. Which side did Wm of Ockham take? Which the Church? The nominalists say that "the system of names creates differences and similarities that only exist in the mind of the speaker or in the system of language itself"A broader question raised by the problem of universals is the ontological status of language and of so-called psychologicall" or mental phenomena.
Thomas Aquinas (1225-74).
His overall task may be said to be the reconciliation between Aristotle and Christianity (as that of Maimonides was to reconcile Aristotle and Judaism). His period marks the ascendancy of Aristotelian over Platonic thought. He was felt to be more modern, more progressive and in keeping with the spirit of the times. The main challenges he faced were the incompatibilities listed on the bottom of page 127. (The earth is eternal, etc.)
Review Thomas's position of that of a moderate realist (129). Universals are "embedded" in particular objects as their "whatness" or essence. We "abstract" the universals from real similarities and differences existing in nature. The abstractions become concepts.
In the area of reason vs. faith, Aquinas distinguishes between philosophy and theology (cf. Venn diagram on p. 130: the intersection of the two is "natural theology." Aquinas believed that it was possible to know at least some truths through both faith and reason (revealed and natural theology). Note the Angelic Doctor's classification of angels, based partially on Genesis 3:24 ("He drove man out, and stationed east of the garden of Eden the cherubim and the fiery ever-turning sword, to guard the way to the tree of life") and Isaiah 6:2 ("Above him stood the seraphim: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly"). Five philosophical arguments for the existence of God: cosmological (a posteriori) arguments.
Thomas's works considered the apogee of scholastic philosophy (= scholasticism, the elucubrations of the Schoolmen, as they are sometimes called).
His solutions to the problem of universals and of faith vs. reason.
# posted by Michael @ 5:29 AM 
