Topics in Medieval Philosophy

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

The thirteenth and fourteenth centuries saw an explosion of philosophical activity in the universities of the West (notably at Paris and Oxford). Among those aspects of medieval thought that remain of abiding interest (and influence) are the wide range of theories regarding, broadly speaking, the nature of cognition and action. This course will provide an introduction, at a graduate level, to some of this material, considering not only ‘big’ names, like Aquinas, but other important, but lesser known figures. No prior knowledge of medieval philosophy or of Latin will be presupposed. The early part of the course will devote some time to acquiring an understanding of the more general conceptual scheme in which the thinkers considered operated – things like substance and accident, form and matter, act and potential, the powers of the soul, and so forth.