Medieval Western philosophy Books

Book SynopsisProvides an interpretation of modern philosophy by developing Nietzsche's view that genuine philosophers set out to determine the direction of culture through their ideas and that they conceal the radical nature of their thought by their esoteric style.

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Book SynopsisLeaving so few traces of himself behind, Thomas Aquinas seems to defy the efforts of the biographer. What can be discovered about this man, his mind, and his soul? In this short, compelling portrait, the author clears away the haze of time and brings Thomas vividly to life for contemporary readers.Trade Review'. . . if you require an introduction to the ‘Angelic Doctor’, Turner’s magnificent book will serve you well.'—BBC History Magazine * BBC History Magazine *

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Book SynopsisThis book is the first extensive study of ideas on earthquakes before the Lisbon earthquake in 1755. The earthquake had a deep impact on European culture, and the reactions to it stood in a long tradition that, before this study, had yet to be explored in detail. Thinking on Earthquakes investigates both scholarly theories and views that were propagated among the early modern European population. Through a chronological approach, Vermij reveals that in contrast to the Ancient and medieval philosophers who suggested rational explanations for earthquakes, supernatural ideas made a powerful comeback in the sixteenth century. By analysing a variety of sources such as pamphlets, sermons, and treatises, this study shows how changes in the ideas on earthquakes were a result of social and political demands as well as from improvements in the means of communication, rather than from scientific methods. Thus, Vermij presents an illuminating case for the production of knowledge&nTrade Review'Following a chronological development, this volume represents an important synthesis of the scientific opinions and theories that have matured over the centuries in the European cultural sphere, showing how the ancient and medieval philosophers, who provided rational hypotheses for the origin of earthquakes, both switched to supernatural and sectarian explanations, diverting science towards social, political and religious needs.The analysis carried out by Rienk Vermij testifies to the cultural and knowledge development in modern Europe and represents a fundamental source for scholars of the history of geology and science.'Marco Pantaloni, Geological Society of Italy, 2020 (https://www.socgeol.it/N2838/thinking-on-earthquakes-in-early-modern-europe.html) 'In short, Vermij offers a fascinating study on confessionalized science and the study of earthquakes. His sensitivity to the political and social use of earthquake explanations is commendable and a welcome addition to disaster studies. [...] His intention to also look at explanations among the wider populace and his inclusion of different media are innovative for a history of science.'Marieke van Egeraat, Early Modern Low Countries, 2021'Thinking on Earthquakes is a solid piece of historical research [...] this book fills a long-standing gap in the literature on the early modern understanding of earthquakes, and it will prove a valuable reference work for historians and philosophers of science as well as for geologists, teachers, and science communicators.'Francesco Luzzini, Early Science and Medicine, 2021'[...] As the book demonstrates, the subject of earthquakes can certainly serve as an excellent point of entry for inquiring into the shifting configurations of science and religion in early modern Europe. [...] Thinking on Earthquakes fills a gap in scholarship. It makes a valuable contribution to the history of geology, the history of science and religion, and disaster studies.'Fa-ti Fan, Isis, The Journal of the History of Science Society, vol. 113, no.1, 2022‘By providing a chronicle of the events, the volume is a worthy contribution to the history of those seismic beliefs and ideas that had developed in the European milieu over the centuries. The author points out how ancient and medieval philosophers, after suggesting rational hypotheses about the origin of earthquakes, moved on to supernatural and confessional explanations, turning science to social, political and religious needs. Rienk Vermij’s work not only bears witness to the cultural history of modern European society, but also is a fundamental source for historians of geology and science.’Marco Pantaloni, Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Physis International Journal for the History of Science Vol. LVII (2022)Table of ContentsPart I: Scientific, philosophical, and religious traditions up to the Renaissance 1. Experiencing earthquakes 2. Reading on earthquakes: explanations and interpretations up to the end of the Renaissance 3. Writing on earthquakes: the available information 4. Earthquakes in Renaissance scholarship Part II: Early modern confessionalized science 5. The assault on naturalism 6. The emergence of a science of signs 7. Prodigies in Reformation scholarship 8. Miracles and meteorology among Catholic scholars 9. Reactions to earthquakes in the sixteenth century: the emergence of a discourse 10. Interpreting earthquakes in the seventeenth century 11. Marginalized approaches Part III: The rise of modern empiricism 12. New sources of information and the rise of a scientific public 13. New observations and theories: the non-confessional investigation of nature 14. Confessionalized natural philosophy in the age of the new sciences 15. Earthquakes in the religious discourse of the late seventeenth century

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Book SynopsisThe Philosophy and Science of Roger Bacon offers new insights and research perspectives on one of the most intriguing characters of the Middle Ages, Roger Bacon. At the intersections between science and philosophy, the volume analyses central aspects of Bacon's reflections on how nature and society can be perfected. The volume dives into the intertwining of Bacon's philosophical stances on nature, substantial change, and hylomorphism with his scientific discussion of music, alchemy, and medicine. The Philosophy and Science of Roger Bacon also investigates Bacon's projects of education reform and his epistemological and theological ground maintaining that humans and God are bound by wisdom, and therefore science. Finally, the volume examines how Bacon's doctrines are related to a wider historical context, particularly in consideration of Peter John Olivi, John Pecham, Peter of Ireland, and Robert Grosseteste. The Philosophy and Science of Roger Bacon is a cruciTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. Roger Bacon on Nature 2. Roger Bacon on Chance in Natural Generation in the Questiones super octo libros Physicorum Aristotelis 3. Roger Bacon on Substantial Change 4. Roger Bacon on the Conceivability of Matter 5. Ens rationis. Über die vielfache Bedeutung des Gedankendingbegriffs 6. Roger Bacons Idee der Einheit der Wissenschaft und des universalen Friedens 7. Roger Bacon’s New Founding of the Sciences in the Thirteenth Century 8. Sound is not Made of Rays: Roger Bacon’s Rejection of Heavenly Music 9. Roger Bacon’s Medical Alchemy and the Multiplication of Species 10. From Longitudo vitae to Prolungatio vitae: Peter of Ireland and Roger Bacon on Life and Death 11. Bacon/Olivi : un état des lieux 12. The Soul in Roger Bacon and John Pecham 13. Plato’s Unholy Trinity: The life, death and afterlife of the anima mundi in the Middle Ages

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Book SynopsisThe British bestseller Straw Dogs is an exciting, radical work of philosophy, which sets out to challenge our most cherished assumptions about what it means to be human. From Plato to Christianity, from the Enlightenment to Nietzsche and Marx, the Western tradition has been based on arrogant and erroneous beliefs about human beings and their place in the world. Philosophies such as liberalism and Marxism think of humankind as a species whose destiny is to transcend natural limits and conquer the Earth. John Gray argues that this belief in human difference is a dangerous illusion and explores how the world and human life look once humanism has been finally abandoned. The result is an exhilarating, sometimes disturbing book that leads the reader to question our deepest-held beliefs. Will Self, in the New Statesman, called Straw Dogs his book of the year: I read it once, I read it twice and took notes . . . I thought it that good. Nothing will get you thinking as m

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Book Synopsis"His book...supplant[s] all others, even the immensely successful History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell."—A. C. GraylingTrade Review"Supplants all others, even the immensely successful History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell." -- A. C. Grayling - Independent"Gottlieb is as enjoyable as he is intellectually stimulating." -- Robert Conquest - Los Angeles Times"[Gottlieb] writes with fluency and lucidity, with a gift for making even difficult matters seem comprehensible." -- Richard Jenkins - New York Times"A delight. It is written with both wit and scholarship, providing a wonderful overall picture of Western philosophy up to the Renaissance." -- Sir Roger Penrose

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Book Synopsis“Remarkable, engaging.… Be Like the Fox can be read with pleasure by anyone interested in the craft of politics and the life of ideas.”—New York Times Book ReviewTrade Review"Lively, compulsively readable, unshowily erudite." -- Terry Eagleton - Guardian"A ripping read.… fascinating, charming, enjoyably unorthodox." -- Telegraph"In this tightly composed narrative of Machiavelli’s life and works, Benner argues that The Prince is a work of secret subversion, using irony and beguilement to advance a staunchly republican message.… A gripping portrait of a brilliant political thinker, who understood the dangers of authoritarianism and looked for ways to curb them even though independent speech had become impossible." -- The New Yorker"Unconventional.… Benner argues that in [his] turbulent, violent world, Machiavelli’s most consistent advice favoured principle, restraint and respect for the rule of law, even in The Prince.… Compelling." -- Julian Baggini - Financial Times"Erica Benner convincingly argues [that] there was a great deal more to Machiavelli.… She interweaves his own words with those of his contemporaries, as well as setting him in the context of his world. The result is a rich, vivid, and endlessly surprising portrayal of the man and his times." -- BBC Book Review"Benner’s eminently readable book serves as an introduction to Machiavelli and offers plenty of fresh insight even for those sure they know him and his work. Like Machiavelli’s own writings, Benner’s is a meditation on the virtues and flaws of various forms of government and ambitious men who will rule at will unless checked by institutions." -- Foreign Policy"Excellent.… [Benner is] a fantastic reader of Machiavelli’s very varied literary output. She’s as well-versed in this author’s writing style and writing mind as readers could ask of any biographer." -- Open Letters Monthly"Fascinating, remarkable.… Erica Benner illuminates not only the life of Machiavelli but the complex and cruel political world in which he operated." -- Avi Shlaim"Erica Benner’s enthralling and moving evocation of Machiavelli’s turbulent career reveals how much he is our contemporary." -- Rosamund Bartlett, author of Tolstoy: A Russian Life"In our world of new princes and divided societies, with confrontations in constant danger of escalating to conflict, Be Like the Fox reads like a cautionary call from the past. Anyone seeking to understand power, force, and government today would do well to read this book." -- General Sir Rupert Smith, author of The Utility of Force: The Art of War in the Modern World

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Book SynopsisPlotinus (AD 205â270) was the founder of Neoplatonism, whose thought has had a profound influence on medieval philosophy, and on Western philosophy more broadly. In this engaging book, EyjÃlfur K. Emilsson introduces and explains the full spectrum of Plotinusâ philosophy for those coming to his work for the first time.Beginning with a chapter-length overview of Plotinusâ life and works which also assesses the Platonic, Aristotelian and Stoic traditions that influenced him, Emilsson goes on to address key topics including: Plotinusâ originality the status of souls Plotinusâ language the notion of the One or the Good Intellect, including Plotinusâ holism the physical world the soul and the body, including emotions and the self Plotinusâ ethics Plotinusâ influence and legacy. Including a chronology, glossary of terms and suggestions for further reading, Plotinus is an ideal introduction to this major figure in Western philosophy, and is essential reading for students of ancient philosophy and classics.Trade Review'[A] general introduction to Plotinus that is pleasant to read and very well informed, by a specialist who has written a great deal on Plotinus. … The exposition is clear, the argumentation rigorous, and no important Plotinian passage has been overlooked. This makes the book an invaluable resource. … This is an important book that brings to the surface the merits and the weaknesses of an interpretation that is tending to become standard in a context in which philosophy is no longer a way of life, but a university discipline.' - Luc Brisson, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews'The beauty of this book lies in the way that Emilsson guides the reader through both the intellectual background and legacy of the greatest philosopher of late antiquity. By engaging Plotinus in argument, Emilsson brings the Enneads to life, revealing a system behind unsystematic exposition, exposing philosophical reason where there is an apparent dogma.' - Pauliina Remes, Uppsala University, Sweden'This is a reliable and readable introduction to Plotinus, from one of the leading scholars of his thought. It offers a level of detail that is unusual in an introductory volume, as well as engaging with the most recent secondary literature. It thus offers a good orientation for students, while also being of interest to seasoned readers of the Enneads.' - Peter Adamson, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, GermanyTable of ContentsChronologyIntroduction1. Life, Works and Philosophical Background2. The World According to Plotinus3. The One and the Genesis of Intellect4. Intellect5. Soul6. The Physical World7. The Human Being I: The Soul–Body Compound8. The Human Being II: The Higher Soul and We Ourselves9. Ethics I: Virtue, Happiness and the Ethics of Everyday Life10. Ethics II: Mystical Experience, Theodicy, Freedom and Beauty11. Plotinus’ Legacy and Influence

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Book SynopsisFew philosophers or theologians exerted as much influence on the shape of medieval thought as Thomas Aquinas. He ranks amongst the most famous of the Western philosophers and was responsible for almost single-handedly bringing the philosophy of Aristotle into harmony with Christianity. He was also one of the first philosophers to argue that philosophy and theology could support each other. The shape of metaphysics, theology, and Aristotelian thought today still bears the imprint of Aquinas' work.In this extensive and deeply researched study, Eleonore Stump examines Aquinas' major works, Summa Theologiae and Summa Contra Gentiles, and clearly assesses the vast range of Aquinas' thought. Philosophers, theologians, and students of the medieval period alike will find this unrivalled study an indispensable resource in researching and teaching Aquinas.Trade Review"This book is an astounding achievment. It will not be superseded for decades. It will surely remain on the bibliography for as long as Thomas Aquinas is regarded as a major thinker; for as long as there is Western philosophy." - Fergus Kerr, Ars Disputandi'[Eleanore Stump] is one of the best contemporary commentators on Aquinas - perhaps even the best. She writes lucidly, with great philosophical sophistication and with an excellent ability to focus on the really critical steps in Aquinas's arguments ... if someone were to buy just one book on Aquinas, I think this should be it. It is excellent value for money and I thoroughly recommend it.' - Church TimesTable of ContentsPreface, List of abbreviations, List of Aquinas’s works, Introduction: life and overview of Aquinas’s thought, Part I: The ultimate foundation of reality, 1. Metaphysics: a theory of things, 2. Goodness, 3. God’s simplicity, 4. God’s eternity, 5. God’s knowledge, Part II: The nature of human beings, 6. Forms and bodies: the soul, 7. The foundations of knowledge, 8. The mechanisms of cognition, 9. Freedom: action, intellect and will, Part III: The nature of human excellence, 10. A representative moral virtue: justice, 11. A representative intellectual virtue: wisdom, 12. A representative theological virtue: faith, 13. Grace and free will, Part IV: God’s relationship to human beings, 14. The metaphysics of the incarnation, 15. Atonement, 16. Providence and suffering, Notes, Select bibliography, Index

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Book SynopsisSixteenth century philosophy was a unique synthesis of several philosophical frameworks, a blend of old and new, including but not limited to Scholasticism, Humanism, Neo-Thomism, Aristotelianism, and Stoicism. Unlike most overviews of this period, The Routledge Companion to Sixteenth Century Philosophy does not simplify this colorful era by applying some traditional dichotomies, such as the misleading line once drawn between scholasticism and humanism.Instead, the Companion closely covers an astonishingly diverse set of topics: philosophical methodologies of the time, the importance of the discovery of the new world, the rise of classical scholarship, trends in logic and logical theory, Nominalism, Averroism, the Jesuits, the Reformation, Neo-stoicism, the soulâs immortality, skepticism, the philosophies of language and science and politics, cosmology, the nature of the understanding, causality, ethics, freedom of the will, natural law, the emergence of the indTrade Review". . . . An impressive collection of twenty-seven essays, which aim at presenting the most recent scholarship on Renaissance philosophy. It is one of the most comprehensive works on this time period ever published. On the whole, the companion is accessible to undergraduate students while also being of interest to specialists. One of the major strengths of the book is that the material covered is thoroughly examined and accompanied by substantive bibliographies, which make the volume a valuable tool for the study of sixteenth-century thought. Another key feature is that crossover between the essays is pervasive and is reinforced by a substantive general index, which gives a strong unity to the volume, despite its length (645 pages). . . . To conclude, there is no doubt that this impressive companion is an outstanding publication which represents a landmark in the field of Renaissance philosophy."--Magali Roques in The Journal of the International Society for the History of Philosophy of Science"This book is an up-to-date, comprehensive, scholarly and philosophically sophisticated guide to the philosophy of a neglected century, but also much more than that. By rejecting the idea of renaissance philosophy, the editors make their readers see the whole development of modern philosophy in a new light. This Companion is essential reading for any student or researcher working on the history of philosophy." - John Marenbon, University of Cambridge"...the Companion rightly refuses to stick rigidly within the “century” – often the essays look back and forward, some explicitly going well into the seventeenth century because they have to do so. This offers intellectual coherence to many of the arguments. (...) The wealth of bibliographical sources presented here, alone, makes this a valuable resource."- Stuart Hannabuss, Independent Reviewer and Researcher, Aberdeen, UKTable of ContentsPrefaceIntroductionBenjamin Hill and Henrik Lagerlund I. Intellectual Background 1. Philosophical MethodologiesBrian Copenhaver 2. The Discovery of the New WorldJoan-Pau Rubies 3. The Rise of Classical ScholarshipAmos Edelheit 4. Trends in Logic and Logical TheoryHenrik Lagerlund 5. NominalismCalvin Normore 6. AverroismKara Richardson II. Philosophical Movements7. The JesuitsCristiano Casalini 8. Philosophy Among and in the Wake of the Reformers: Luther, Zwingli, and CalvinPekka Karkkainen 9. Justus Lipsius and Neo-stoicismJan Papy III. Philosophical Controversies10. The Immortality of the Soul: The Pomponazzi AffairLeen Spruit 11. Logic, Rhetoric, and Method: Rejections of Aristotle and the Ramist Affair(s)Simo Knuuttila 12. Political Authority and Tyrannicide: The Suárez-Bellarmine AffairCesare Cuttica IV. Philosophical Topics13. The Rise of Philosophical SkepticismJosé Maia Neto 14. Scientia and Method: Regressus and InnatismPaolo Palmieri 15. Analogy and Analogical Predication: Innovations in the Philosophy of LanguageJennifer Ashworth 16. Matter, Space, and MotionBenjamin Hill 17. Body and Internal Powers: Alchemy and MedicineHiro Hirai 18. The Human Soul Sander de Boer 19. The Metaphysics of Substantial FormsHelen Hattab 20. CausalityErik Akerlund 21. The Nature of the Understanding: Intellect, Conception, and ConceptsCees Leijenhorst 22. Freedom of the WillSyndey Penner 23. EthicsBenjamin Hill and Henrik Lagerlund 24. Human Nature and Human Society: The Individual and Her Place in SocietyAnna Becker 25. Natural Law Part I: The Catholic TraditionMerio Scattola26. Natural Law Part II: The Protestant and Philosophy TraditionsMerio Scattola 27. The Nature of Wisdom and the Love of GodPaul Richard Blum Index

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Book SynopsisOffers a look at Soka Gakkai Buddhism, one of Japan's most influential and controversial religious movements. In this work, an American professor of religion trying to come to terms with the death of his wife, travels to Japan in search of the spirit of the Soka Gakkai. Here, he tells of his journey.Trade Review"Seager does a superb job of giving outsiders an inside look at Soka Gakkai Buddhism." - David Machacek, author of Soka Gakkai in America: Accommodation and Conversion "This book paints vivid portraits of the major players of Soka Gakkai. Seager is forthright about the checkered political path Soka Gakkai has taken in Japan, while providing insight into why the rough spots occur." - Phillip Hammond, D. Mackenzie Brown Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara "Encountering the Dharma is a marvelous book that bristles with fresh observations about Japanness and Americanness, the local and the global, spirituality and secularity. Exhaustively researched and elegantly written, this is the definitive work on the globalization of Soka Gakkai." - Stephen Prothero, author of American Jesus: How the Son of God Became a National Icon"Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Preface 1. Mystic Opportunity 2. Creating Value 3. Mentor's Vision 4. Rising Star 5. Sea Change 6. Countervailing Trends 7. Zuiho-bini 8. World House 9. Intrepid Navigators Notes Glossary Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis paperback reissue of the classic Latin/English parallel text edition of Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae (first published by the English Dominicans in the 1960s and 1970s), has been undertaken in response to requests from both philosophers and theologians.Table of ContentsNotes; Introduction; Question 14. On God's knowledge; Question 15. On the divine ideas; Question 16. On truth; Question 17. On falsity; Question 18. On the life of God; Glossary; Index.

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Book SynopsisThis paperback reissue of the classic Latin/English parallel text edition of Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae (first published by the English Dominicans in the 1960s and 1970s), has been undertaken in response to requests from both philosophers and theologians.Table of ContentsEditorial notes; Introduction; Foreword to the Secunda Secundae; Question 1. The object of faith; Question 2. The inner act of faith; Question 3. The outward act of faith; Question 4. The virtue of faith; Question 5. On those having faith; Question 6. The cause of faith; Question 7. Effects of faith; Appendices; Glossary; Index.

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Book SynopsisThis paperback reissue of the classic Latin/English parallel text edition of Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae (first published by the English Dominicans in the 1960s and 1970s), has been undertaken in response to requests from both philosophers and theologians.Table of ContentsEditorial notes; Introduction; Question 31. Bodily matter in our Saviour's conception; Question 32. Activating principle in Christ's conception; Question 33. Mode and order of Christ's conception; Question 34. Perfection of the child conceived; Question 35. Birth of Christ; Question 36. Manifestation of the new-born Christ; Question 37. The child Jesus and old law observances; Appendices; Glossary; Index.

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Book SynopsisNeostoicism was one of the most important intellectual movements of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. It started in the Protestant Netherlands during the revolt against Catholic Spain. Very quickly it began to influence both the theory and practice of politics in many parts of Europe.Table of ContentsPart I. Justus Lipsius and the Netherlands movement: 1. Constantin in publicis malis; 2. The political intent in Neostoic philosophy; 3. The main political work of Lipsius; 4. Political Neostoicism; 5. The military renascence; 6. The European echo; 7. The Netherlands movement in Brandenburg-Prussia; Part II. The Constitutional Development of the Early Modern State: 8. The religious covenant and the social contract; 9. 'Police' and Prudentia civilis in the seventeenth century; 10 From contractual monarchy to constitutionalism; 11. The estates of Germany and the formation of the state; 12. The constitutional situation of monarchy in Germany from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century; 13. Army organization in the German territories from 1500 to 1800; 14. The constitution of the Holy Roman Empire and the European state system 1648–1789; 15. The structure of the absolute state.

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Book SynopsisThe eagerly-awaited second volume of The Cambridge Translations of Medieval Philosophical Texts offers first-time English translations of seventeen major texts in ethics and political thought. This is an important resource for scholars and students of medieval philosophy, history, political science, theology and literature.Table of ContentsGeneral Introduction; 1. Questions on Book X of the ethics Albert the Great; 2. Conscience and synderesis Bonaventure; 3. On the Rule of Princes Giles of Rome; 4. Commentary and questions on Book III of Aristotle's politics Peter of Auvergne; 5. Is it rational for someone without hope of a future life to choose to die for the Commonwealth? Henry of Ghent; 6. Does a human being following the dictates of natural reason have to judge that he ought to love God more than himself? Godfrey of Fontaines; 7. Does a human being have a greater natural love for God than for himself, or vice versa? James of Viterbo; 8. Is the science of theology a speculative science? Godfrey of Fontaines; 9. Is a subject bound to observe a statute even when it is not evident that it promotes the common unity? Henry of Ghent; 10. Are subjects bound to pay a tax when the need for it is not evident? Godfrey of Fontaines; 11. Is it better to be ruled by the best man than by the best laws? James of Viterbo; 12. May a Christian king use unbelievers for the just defense of his kingdom? John of Naples; 13. Using and enjoying William of Ockham; 14. Summa on ecclesiastical power (Selections) Augustine of Ancona; 15. Is an errant individual bound to recant at the rebuke of a superior? William of Ockham; 16. Questions on Book X of the ethics Jean Buridan; 17. On civil lordship John Wyclif.

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Book SynopsisThe eagerly-awaited second volume of The Cambridge Translations of Medieval Philosophical Texts offers first-time English translations of seventeen major texts in ethics and political thought. This is an important resource for scholars and students of medieval philosophy, history, political science, theology and literature.Table of ContentsGeneral Introduction; 1. Questions on Book X of the ethics Albert the Great; 2. Conscience and synderesis Bonaventure; 3. On the Rule of Princes Giles of Rome; 4. Commentary and questions on Book III of Aristotle's politics Peter of Auvergne; 5. Is it rational for someone without hope of a future life to choose to die for the Commonwealth? Henry of Ghent; 6. Does a human being following the dictates of natural reason have to judge that he ought to love God more than himself? Godfrey of Fontaines; 7. Does a human being have a greater natural love for God than for himself, or vice versa? James of Viterbo; 8. Is the science of theology a speculative science? Godfrey of Fontaines; 9. Is a subject bound to observe a statute even when it is not evident that it promotes the common unity? Henry of Ghent; 10. Are subjects bound to pay a tax when the need for it is not evident? Godfrey of Fontaines; 11. Is it better to be ruled by the best man than by the best laws? James of Viterbo; 12. May a Christian king use unbelievers for the just defense of his kingdom? John of Naples; 13. Using and enjoying William of Ockham; 14. Summa on ecclesiastical power (Selections) Augustine of Ancona; 15. Is an errant individual bound to recant at the rebuke of a superior? William of Ockham; 16. Questions on Book X of the ethics Jean Buridan; 17. On civil lordship John Wyclif.

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Book SynopsisIn this book, David Summers provides an investigation of the philosophical and psychological notions invoked in this new theory and criticism. From a thorough examination of the sources, he shows how the medieval language of mental discourse derived from an understanding of classical thought.Trade Review'This brilliant, stimulating study in the history of ideas should become indispensible for Renaissance art historians, and for philosophers interested in the history of the philosophy of mind and in what might be called the 'pre-history' of aesthetics.' ChoiceTable of ContentsList of figures; Preface; List of abbreviations; Introduction; 1. The primacy of sight; 2. The fallacies of sight; 3. The harmony of the spheres; 4. The harmony of the senses; 5. The common sense; 6. Spiritus; 7. The light of the piazza; 8. Optics and the common sense; 9. Confused knowledge; 10. Cogitation; 11. The mechanical arts; 12. Prudence; 13. The spark of God; Conclusions; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisAdelard of Bath was one of the most colourful personalities of the Middle Ages. He travelled to the Crusader kingdoms, to Sicily and south Italy, and translated texts on astronomy, astrology and magic from Arabic into Latin. He acquired a lasting reputation as a pioneering mathematician, and he was a gifted teacher. He addressed one of these works, on cosmology and the astrolabe, to the future King Henry II, and it is in the context of the education of the nobility that the three works edited in this book are to be viewed. Adelard meant them to be both entertaining and instructive. They deal with all kinds of topics, from the nature of the soul to the cause of earthquakes, from the effects of music to how to train a hawk. A preface provides the results of research on Adelard's life and work.Table of ContentsList of illustrations; Acknowledgements; Introduction; 1. De eodem et diverso (On the Same and the Different); Notes; 2. Questiones naturales (Questions on Natural Science); Notes; 3. De avibus tractatus (Treatise on Birds); Notes; Abbreviations and select bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisFrancis Bacon (1561â1626) is one of the most important figures of the early modern era. His plan for scientific reform played a central role in the birth of the new science. The essays in this volume offer a comprehensive survey of his writings on science, including his classifications of sciences, his theory of knowledge and of forms, his speculative philosophy, his idea of cooperative scientific research and the providential aspects of Baconian science. There are also essays on Bacon's theory of rhetoric and history as well as on his moral and political philosophy and on his legacy. Throughout, the contributors aim to place Bacon in his historical context.Trade Review"...Cambridge Companions have established themselves as the best of their kind, sound and basic, but often breaking new ground so that established scholars cannot ignore them. The volumes on Bacon and Hobbes, edited by Markku Peltonen and Tom Sorell, attain the same high level...includes a notable roster of distinguished experts...includes fine essays...Both books belong on recommended reading lists." Studies in English LiteratureTable of ContentsIntroduction Markku Peltonen; 1. Bacon's idea of science Paolo Rossi; 2. Bacon's classification of knowledge Sachiko Kusukawa; 3. Bacon's method of science Michel Malherbe; 4. Bacon's forms and the maker's knowledge tradition Antonio Pérez-Ramos; 5. Bacon's speculative philosophy Graham Rees; 6. Bacon as an advocate for a cooperative scientific research Rose-Mary Sargent; 7. Bacon's science and religion John C. Briggs; 8. Bacon and rhetoric Brian Vickers; 9. Bacon and history John F. Tinkler; 10. Bacon's moral philosophy Ian Box; 11. Bacon's political philosophy Markku Peltonen; 12. Bacon's legacy Antonio Pérez-Ramos.

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Book SynopsisThis volume offers a full discussion of all significant aspects of Ockham's thought: logic, philosophy of language, metaphysics and natural philosophy, epistemology, ethics, action theory, political thought and theology, and is the first study of Ockham to consider recent discoveries concerning his life, education, and influences.Trade Review'This book is a must read for any student of Ockham, or someone who would like an accessible but scholarly introduction to his thought.' The Southern Baptist Journal of TheologyTable of ContentsIntroduction Paul Vincent Spade; 1. The academic and intellectual worlds of Ockham William J. Courtenay; 2. Some aspects of Ockham's logic C. G. Normore; 3. Semantics and mental language Claude Panaccio; 4. Is there synonymy in Ockham's mental language? David Chalmers; 5. Ockham's nominalist metaphysics: some main themes Paul Vincent Spade; 6. Ockham's semantics and ontology of the categories Gyula Klima; 7. Ockham's philosophy of nature André Goddu; 8. The mechanisms of cognition: Ockham on mediating species Eleonore Stump; 9. Ockham's misunderstood theory of intuitive and abstractive cognition Elizabeth Karger; 10. Ockham's ethical theory Peter King; 11. Ockham on will, nature and morality Marilyn McCord Adams; 12. Natural law and moral omnipotence A. S. McGrade; 13. The political writings John Kilcullen; 14. Ockham on faith and reason Alfred J. Freddoso; 15. Ockham's repudiation of Pelagianism Rega Wood.

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Giordano Bruno's notorious public death in 1600, at the hands of the Inquisition in Rome, marked the transition from Renaissance philosophy to the Scientific Revolution of the seventeenth century. In his philosophical works he addressed such delicate issues as the role of Christ as mediator and the distinction, in human beings, between soul and matter. This volume presents new translations of Cause, Principle and Unity, in which he challenges Aristotelian accounts of causality and spells out the implications of Copernicanism for a new theory of an infinite universe, and of two essays on magic, On Magic and A General Account of Bonding, in which he interprets earlier theories about magical events in the light of the unusual powers of natural phenomena.

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Book SynopsisSince its publication in 1677, Spinoza's Ethics has fascinated philosophers, novelists, and scientists alike. It is undoubtedly one of the most exciting and contested works of Western philosophy. Written in an austere, geometrical fashion, the work teaches us how we should live, ending with an ethics in which the only thing good in itself is understanding. Spinoza argues that only that which hinders us from understanding is bad and shows that those endowed with a human mind should devote themselves, as much as they can, to a contemplative life. This Companion volume provides a detailed, accessible exposition of the Ethics. Written by an internationally known team of scholars, it is the first anthology to treat the whole of the Ethics and is written in an accessible style.Trade Review'Olli Koistinen's 'companion' to Spinoza's Ethics is exactly what it claims to be. … The methodological breadth of the contributions is impressive.' British Journal for the History of PhilosophyTable of ContentsIntroduction Olli Koistinen and Valtteri Viljanen; 1. The textual history of Spinoza's Ethics Piet Steenbakkers; 2. The geometrical order in the Ethics Piet Steenbakkers; 3. Spinoza's ontology Valtteri Viljanen; 4. Substance monism and identity theory in Spinoza Andreas Schmidt; 5. Spinoza and the Stoics on substance monism Jon Miller; 6. Spinoza on necessity Charles Jarrett; 7. Knowledge in Spinoza's Ethics Diane Steinberg; 8. Spinoza on action Ollie Koistinen; 9. The anatomy of the passions Michael LeBuffe; 10. Freedom, slavery, and the passions Susan James; 11. Spinoza's theory of the good Andrew Youpa; 12. The power of reason in Spinoza Martin Lin; 13. Spinoza on the essence of the human body and the part of the mind that is eternal Don Garrett.

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Book SynopsisHegel's Encyclopaedia Logic contains the most explicit formulation of his enduringly influential dialectical method and of the categorical system underlying his thought. This volume presents it in a new translation with a helpful introduction and notes.Trade Review"....Encyclopaedia of the Philosophical Sciences in Basic Outline is an outstanding and inspiring guide through Hegel’s work. This book is a very valuable resource and will spark an industry of debate and elaboration." --George Lazaroiu, PhD, Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities and Social SciencesTable of ContentsIntroduction: Hegel's Encyclopaedia Logic; Translators' note; Encyclopaedia of Philosophical Sciences in Basic Outline: Volume 1: Logic by G. W. F. Hegel: Preface to the first edition; Preface to the second edition; Foreword to the third edition; Introduction; Preliminary conception; First subdivision of the logic: the doctrine of being; Second subdivision of the logic: the doctrine of essence; Third subdivision of the logic: the doctrine of the concept; Glossary.

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Book SynopsisThe first of three volumes which look at the history of scholastic humanism. This volume is concerned with the years between 1100 and 1160, when the main lines of scholastic thought were laid down and its agenda established.Trade Review"Here the 'practical, intellectual and spiritual aspects' of twelfth-century history are discussed by a historian whose knowledge of the period and mastery of the art of writing are almost without equal." History Today "The combination of synthesis with fresh and vivid work on detail is one of Southern's particular gifts ...The proportions of the book will fit harmoniously into the overarching structure outlined at the start of the book, but this volume can also stand just as well on its own - already a classic." Reviews in History "The recovery of scholasticism therefore calls for two qualities: technical expertise, and lucidity of thought and expression. No historian combines these qualities more conspicuously than R.W. Southern." Times Literary Supplement "This book is more than a synthesis of a life's work on twelfth-century Western culture by Britain's greatest medievalist - it is the most important book in recent decades on the twelfth-century renaissance and its significance. This is a book to be treasured and reflected upon for years to come." Norman F. Cantor, New York University "That such a sweeping vision is expressed so lucidly, while simultaneously conveying the human details and experience of the period with a combination of sensitivity and scholarly rigour, justifies the description by its first reviewers: 'masterpiece.'" Journal of Ecclesiastical HistoryTable of ContentsPreface. List of Maps and Plates. Abbreviations and Short Titles. Two Preliminary Maps. Introduction. PART ONE – AIMS, METHODS, AND ENVIRONMENT. 1 Scholastic Humanism. I Contrasting types of humanism. II Characteristic features of scholastic humanism. III The problem of the natural sciences. IV Summits of success. V The regulation of social life. VI The loss of hope. 2 Chartrian Humanism: A Romantic Misconception. I Introduction. II Humanism and the School of Chartres. III Replies to critics. 3 The Sovereign Textbook of the Schools: The Bible. I The qualities of the Bible in scholastic thought. II Methods of investigation. III Bringing the message of the schools to the world. 4 Social and Political Roots of Scholastic Thought. I Pre-scholastic and scholastic Europe. II The new symbiosis of schools and government. III The schools, society and the individual. IV The schools and the papacy. 5 The Men and their Rewards. I Scholars of the world. II Ancients and Moderns. III The new age. IV The glory and gossip of the schools. 6 The Scholastic Metropolis of Northern Europe. I Old institutions: new needs. II Stages in the triumph of Paris. III Conclusion. IV Appendix – A schedule of Parisian masters. PART TWO – TURNING DOCTRINE INTO LAW. 7 The Outlook in Northern Europe. I Truth and truth-enforcement. II Law and society in northern Europe. III Summits of northern European legal scholarship, c. 1050–1120. IV Federalism v. centralization. 8 The Outlook in Northern Italy. I Cultural potentialities and limitations. II Irnerius and the menace of Roman law. 9 The Integration of Doctrine and Law: Gratian. I Demand and response. II The man and his work. III The originality of his work. IV Method of work and date of compilation. V Gratian’s change of mind about Roman law. VI The personality behind the work. VII Did Gratian teach canon law? VIII The first masterpiece of scholastic humanism. IX Time and Place reviewed. Index.

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Book SynopsisThis is the second of the three volumes comprising, Scholastic Humanism and the Unification of Europe. Focussing on the period from c.1090-1212, the volume explores the lives, scholarly resources, and contributions of a wide sample of people who either took part in the creation of the scholastic system of thought or gave practical effect to it in public life. The second volume of a compelling, original work which will redefine our perceptions of medieval civilization, the renaissance and the evolution of modern Europe. Written by a man who was widely regarded as the greatest medieval historian. Trade Review"This book is to be recommended to students and scholars alike.' Times Literary Supplement 'The whole oeuvre is remarkable for two things: its ability to bring the reader into a sense of intimate encounter with these old friends of Southern himself; and the undiminished freshness of the writing. As always with Southern, the newness comes from the insights rather than from the discoveries; yet, as always there are discoveries, especially where a controversial point has to be argued. Such points are pressed with the characteristic vigour, and even if not all fellow-scholars will agree with the conclusions none will come away with his previous ideas in quite the same order ... In every part of the text the quite peculiar charm of the twelfth century is allowed to be distinctively itself.' Journal of Theological Studies 'We can be grateful to Lesley Smith and Benedict Ward for their efforts to bring us this volume, a gift from the master of the modern masters.' Journal of Religion "R.W. Southern has been worth spending time with, his own humanism, wisdom, and insight always evident, always enlightening." Paul Edward DuttonTable of ContentsPreface. Abbreviations and short titles. PART THREE – THE STRUGGLES OF SCHOLARS IN THE SCHOOLS. Introduction. 1 Rupert of Deutz: A Voice of the Past. I The Two Worlds in Western Europe. II Rupert’s Life, Work, and World. III Rupert’s Conflicts with the Schools. IV The Final Grandeur of Events. V Ceremonies and Symbols versus Definitions and System. 2 Master Anselm of Laon: The Master of Future Masters. I The Grounds of His Scholastic Fame. II The Master, the City, and the School. III The Development of His Teaching. IV Master Anselm’s Contribution to the Study of the Bible: The Origin of the Glossa Ordinaria. V The Completion of the Glossa by Master Anselm’s Successors. 3 Master Anselm and the Origins of Systematic Theology. I The Scholastic Routine: From Glosses to sententiae. II A Student’s Collection of sententiae. III Master Anselm’s Questions and Answers. IV The Bridge Between the Monastic Past. and the Scholastic Future. V Summing Up. 4 Stumbling Towards System, c. 1100–1160. I From sentences to System. II Early Collections of sententiae. III The Years Between 1130 and 1160. 5 Hugh of St. Victor: A Systematic Genius Before His Time. I His Origin and Scholarly Beginnings. II Towards a Systematic World-View. III Master Hugh in His Classroom. IV Hugh’s Projected Lectures on God in Human History. V Hugh’s Ambiguous Position in Scholastic Development. 6 Scholars at the Frontiers of Knowledge: William of Conches and Thierry of Chartres. I William of Conches. II Thierry of Chartres. III Conclusion. 7 Abelard at the Frontier of Logic and Theology. I Introduction. II Abelard’s New Beginning. III Logic and the Holy Trinity. IV An Unexpected Source of Opposition (Walter of Mortagne). V The Enlargement of Theology. 8 The Decisive Battles of the 1140s. I The Road to Conflict. II The First. Battle: St. Bernard and Abelard. III The Background to the First. Battle: William of St. Thierry and St. Bernard. IV The Second Battle: St. Bernard and Gilbert De La Porrée. V The Significance of 1148. 9 Peter Lombard: the Great Achiever. I Introduction. II The Continuing Problem of Organization. III Peter Lombard Comes to Paris. IV Peter Lombard’s Patron: Odo (Or Otto), Bishop of Lucca. V Peter Lombard’s Career and Work in Paris, c. 1138-1160. VI A Comparison Between His Work and That of Bishop Odo of Lucca. VII Summing-Up. PART FOUR – THE STRUGGLE OF THE SCHOLARS IN THE WORLD. Introduction. 10 Master Vacarius: A Roman Lawyer in English Government, c. 1145 to c. 1200. I The Legend and the Reality. II Why, and When, Did Archbishop Theobald Bring Vacarius to England? III The Liber pauperum. IV Vacarius in the Archiepiscopal Province of York. V Vacarius’ Later Writings. 11 John of Salisbury: A Scholar at Large in Government. I The End of His School-Years. II His Transference to the World of Government. 12 The Two Peters of Blois in the Schools and in Government. I Introduction. II Their Relationship and Personalities. III The Two Peters of Blois in the Schools, c. 1140–1165. IV The Younger Peter’s Search for Employment, 1165–1174. V Stability then Uncertainty for the Younger Peter. VI Peter and the Third Crusade. VII Peter in the Service of Baldwin, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1184–1190. VIII Peter and the Call for a Crusade. IX Peter Writes a Last Letter to His Namesake. X The Two Peters of Blois as Poets. XI The Letters and the World of Peter’s Old Age. XII Epilogue: The Letter-Collection Marches On. Index.

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Book Synopsisaeo A compelling, original book which will redefine our perceptions of medieval civilization -- and of the renaissance and the evolution of modern Europe. aeo Possibly the best book by a man who is widely regarded as the greatest medieval historian.Trade Review"Here the 'practical, intellectual and spiritual aspects' of twelfth-century history are discussed by a historian whose knowledge of the period and mastery of the art of writing are almost without equal." History Today "The combination of synthesis with fresh and vivid work on detail is one of Southern's particular gifts ...The proportions of the book will fit harmoniously into the overarching structure outlined at the start of the book, but this volume can also stand just as well on its own - already a classic." Reviews in History "The recovery of scholasticism therefore calls for two qualities: technical expertise, and lucidity of thought and expression. No historian combines these qualities more conspicuously than R.W. Southern." Times Literary Supplement "This book is more than a synthesis of a life's work on twelfth-century Western culture by Britain's greatest medievalist - it is the most important book in recent decades on the twelfth-century renaissance and its significance. This is a book to be treasured and reflected upon for years to come." Norman F. Cantor, New York University "That such a sweeping vision is expressed so lucidly, while simultaneously conveying the human details and experience of the period with a combination of sensitivity and scholarly rigour, justifies the description by its first reviewers: 'masterpiece.'" Journal of Ecclesiastical HistoryTable of ContentsPreface. List of Maps and Plates. Abbreviations and Short Titles. Two Preliminary Maps. Introduction. PART ONE – AIMS, METHODS, AND ENVIRONMENT. 1 Scholastic Humanism. I Contrasting types of humanism. II Characteristic features of scholastic humanism. III The problem of the natural sciences. IV Summits of success. V The regulation of social life. VI The loss of hope. 2 Chartrian Humanism: A Romantic Misconception. I Introduction. II Humanism and the School of Chartres. III Replies to critics. 3 The Sovereign Textbook of the Schools: The Bible. I The qualities of the Bible in scholastic thought. II Methods of investigation. III Bringing the message of the schools to the world. 4 Social and Political Roots of Scholastic Thought. I Pre-scholastic and scholastic Europe. II The new symbiosis of schools and government. III The schools, society and the individual. IV The schools and the papacy. 5 The Men and Their Rewards. I Scholars of the world. II Ancients and Moderns. III The new age. IV The glory and gossip of the schools. 6 The Scholastic Metropolis of Northern Europe. I Old institutions: new needs. II Stages in the triumph of Paris. III Conclusion. IV Appendix – A schedule of Parisian masters. PART TWO – TURNING DOCTRINE INTO LAW. 7 The Outlook in Northern Europe. I Truth and truth-enforcement. II Law and society in northern Europe. III Summits of northern European legal scholarship, c. 1050–1120. IV Federalism v. centralization. 8 The Outlook in Northern Italy. I Cultural potentialities and limitations. II Irnerius and the menace of Roman law. 9 The Integration of Doctrine and Law: Gratian. I Demand and response. II The man and his work. III The originality of his work. IV Method of work and date of compilation. V Gratian’s change of mind about Roman law. VI The personality behind the work. VII Did Gratian teach canon law? VIII The first masterpiece of scholastic humanism. IX Time and Place reviewed. Index.

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Book SynopsisThis guide to the most interesting work that has recently appeared on Aquinas reflects the revival of interest in his work. Written by one of the foremost Roman Catholic theologians currently writing in English. Offers a guide to the most interesting work that has recently appeared on Aquinas, reflecting the revival of interest in his work. Brings together in one volume, a range of views that have previously only been accessible through different books, articles, and periodicals. Represents a major revisionist treatment of Thomism and its significance, combining useful exposition with original, creative thinking. Offers students, in one volume, all the material necessary for a rounded understanding of Aquinas. Trade Review"Domenican scholar Kerr (Oxford and Edinburgh) has written one of the most engrossing and informative books on Thomas published in some time."Choice "This country's outstanding philosopher-theologian."Reviews in Religion and Theology of Fergus Kerr "Fergus Kerr presents us with some few decades of reflection on Aquinas, canvassing much of contemporary commentary in the process. The choice of topics represents a sounding that will offer at once the flavor and a sense of the rigorous dedication to inquiry which Aquinas represents. A thoroughly contemporary presentation of the nuances of this masterful thinker by an apprentice now master himself."Professor David Burrell, University of Notre Dame "Fergus Kerr OP demonstrates in this book how St. Thomas Aquinas is still at the heart of things, synthesising and refining philosophical and theological speech, and even where we do not see his influence, we still feel it. There is no-one better to introduce and explain the breadth and diversity of the study of Aquinas. After Aquinas: Versions of Thomism speaks with a strong and fluent voice: it is in short a tour de force. It ought to be on every theologian's bookshelf, and on every undergraduate reading list in Systematic Theology in Britain and America."Laurence Paul Hemming, Heythrop College, University of London "Kerr's analysis presents fresh insight into Aquinas' thought and the scholarship that has grown up around it, from Cajetan and Suarez to John Milbank and Eugene Rogers. It will be a valuable resource for all those new to Thomas as well as for those interested in exploring his thought in greater depth."First Things "[Kerr's] book is fun, and a rewarding one to read."Church Times "...provides a very useful service to those interested in the reception, in modern theology, of one of the greatest and most influential of all Christian theologians."Times Literary Supplement "This represents a crucial step in moving contemporary Thomism forward; for it is only once we stop teaching, naively, nothing but our own limited interpretations of Thomas's thought, instead attempting to present a more synthetic account, that we will enable our students to appreciate the complexity not only of Thomism, but indeed of Thomas himself."Tijdschrift voor Filosofie "There is often an illuminating sense of the anachronism of a modern view, the failure of an author to understand what Aquinas was concerned about or the reasons for his putting a point in a particular way."Theology "(I)t reviews competing interpretations of Aquinas's theology in an undogmatic, fair-minded, and perspicuous manner; not only beginning theology students but also specialists will learn much from such an approach." The Thomist "Fergus Kerr...has presented his readers with another theological tour de force, and again written with crystal clarity and accessibility."Regent's Reviews "Kerr is astonishingly well read, and, if you want to learn something about how differently Aquinas has been understood on a wide range of issues, After Aquinas is an excellent place to start. Indeed, there is nothing in print to compare with it."Theology Today "Aquinas is a boom subject and Fr Kerr uses decades of stuy to put him in perspective; but he has not lost the refreshing enthusiasm that he felt in his youth for the ontology of the brilliant old thinker."Spectator "... by focusing on the relationship between Thomas's thought and aome of the distinctive issues of modern theology, he is able to both correct widespread misreadings of Thomas, and to show the ongoing power and ecumenical relevance of his theology."Churchman "The beginner will imbide not just real knowledge of Aquinas from this book, but a vibrant Catholic and Dominican culture. The more advanced reader will find dazzling insight upon which to ponder, as well as intriguing pointers to a richer future synthesis.Catherine Pickstock, Emmanuel College Cambridge "After Aquinas is an invaluable resource for evaluating the rival ways that Aquinas has been used in recent scholarship."Scottish Journal of TheologyTable of ContentsPreface vi 1 Life and Times 1 2 Overcoming Epistemology 17 3 Prolegomena to Natural Theology 35 4 Ways of Reading the Five Ways 52 5 Stories of Being 73 6 Natural Law: Incommensurable Readings 97 7 Theological Ethics 114 8 Quarrels about Grace 134 9 Deified Creaturehood 149 10 Christ in the Summa Theologiae 162 11 God in the Summa Theologiae 181 12 Conclusion 207 Notes 211 Select Bibliography 244 Index 248

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Book SynopsisIntroduces readers to medieval life through the experience of Peter Abelard, the master of the Paris schools, whose career included, seducing Heloise, being castrated, accused of treason, condemned as a heretic, as well as writing his memoirs - his story of calamities.Trade Review"This is one of the best books on medieval culture I have ever read, and I was so delighted by it I was sorry to get to the end and to have to put it down." Norman F. Cantor, New York University "A great book, 'unique' like its hero" Jaques Le Goff, Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Science Sociales "A crowning achievement of writing medieval history in our generation." John W. Baldwin, John Hopkins University "Michael Clanchy's book will rank for some time as the best scholarly biography of Abelard. It is a compelling and convincing account that draws together the many disparate facets of the life of one of the most energetic minds and personalities of the twelfth century, or indeed of the Middle Ages." Times Literary Supplement "It takes a touch of genius to bring a twelfth-century intellectual to life in this way." The English Historical Review "The new biography by Michael Clanchy ... [is now] the standard historical study of Abelard's life. It is a work of great energy and insight ... It also provides analyses based on a thorough knowledge of Abelard and Abelard studies, that are as stimulating as they are provocative." The Medieval Review, August 1999 "Here is a fresh and central reconstruction of Abelard as a person, based on the research and text editions of previous decades, that puts him at the very center of medieval life and culture and thus makes him relevant for our own times." Revue d'histoire ecclesiastique "This marvelous book about one of the most controversial and interesting of twelfth-century men deserves the warmest welcome...It will surely establish itself and maintain a place for many years, as an accessible and balanced assessment of Abelard ..." Reviews in History "This book is much more than a life of Abelard: it is also an excellent survey of the twelfth century, which, while remaining faithful to the highest standards of scholarship, reads much like a good novel. This is a rare case indeed: a book with much to offer to specialists and beginners, which can also be recommended to historians and theologians alike." Theological Studies "This is one of the half-dozen best books ever written about the European Middle Ages. M.T. Clanchy integrates ecclesiastical, cultural, and social history, and the biography of a great mind and academic with depth of learning, subtlety of insight, and skillful and at times elegant writing that are rarely seen among medievalists ... My only regret is that I came to the end of it too quickly. I would gladly have remained immersed in Abelard and Heloise and their world for another two or three hundred pages ... Clanchy's Aberlard will stay with you and haunt your sensibility and imagination." American Historical Review "Clanchy has performed a valuable service in bringing together often difficult and specialised scholarship into accessible form for the general reader." Journal of Religious HistoryTable of ContentsPreface. Map of France in Abelard's Time. Map of Paris in Abelard's Time. 1. The Story of Abelard. Part I: Scientia - 'Knowledge': Chronological Table 1079-1117. 2. Scientia - 'Knowledge'. 3. Literate. 4. Master. 5. Logician. Part II: Experimentum - 'Experience': Chronological Table 1117-1118. 6. Experimentum - 'Experience'. 7. Knight. 8. Lover. 9. Man. Part III: Religio - 'Religion': Chronological Table 1118-1142. 10. Religio - 'Religion'. 11. Monk. 12. Theologian. 13. Heretic. Conclusion. 14. Himself. Who's Who. Abbreviations used in the Notes to Chapters. Notes to Chapters. Suggestions for Further Reading. Index.

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Book SynopsisThis is the second of the three volumes comprising, Scholastic Humanism and the Unification of Europe. Focussing on the period from c.1090-1212, the volume explores the lives, scholarly resources, and contributions of a wide sample of people who either took part in the creation of the scholastic system of thought or gave practical effect to it in public life. The second volume of a compelling, original work which will redefine our perceptions of medieval civilization, the renaissance and the evolution of modern Europe. Written by a man who was widely regarded as the greatest medieval historian. Trade Review"This book is to be recommended to students and scholars alike.' Times Literary Supplement 'The whole oeuvre is remarkable for two things: its ability to bring the reader into a sense of intimate encounter with these old friends of Southern himself; and the undiminished freshness of the writing. As always with Southern, the newness comes from the insights rather than from the discoveries; yet, as always there are discoveries, especially where a controversial point has to be argued. Such points are pressed with the characteristic vigour, and even if not all fellow-scholars will agree with the conclusions none will come away with his previous ideas in quite the same order ... In every part of the text the quite peculiar charm of the twelfth century is allowed to be distinctively itself.' Journal of Theological Studies 'We can be grateful to Lesley Smith and Benedict Ward for their efforts to bring us this volume, a gift from the master of the modern masters.' Journal of Religion "R.W. Southern has been worth spending time with, his own humanism, wisdom, and insight always evident, always enlightening." Paul Edward DuttonTable of ContentsPreface. Abbreviations and short titles. PART THREE – THE STRUGGLES OF SCHOLARS IN THE SCHOOLS. Introduction. 1 Rupert of Deutz: A Voice of the Past. I The Two Worlds in Western Europe. II Rupert’s Life, Work, and World. III Rupert’s Conflicts with the Schools. IV The Final Grandeur of Events. V Ceremonies and Symbols versus Definitions and System. 2 Master Anselm of Laon: The Master of Future Masters. I The Grounds of His Scholastic Fame. II The Master, the City, and the School. III The Development of His Teaching. IV Master Anselm’s Contribution to the Study of the Bible: The Origin of the Glossa Ordinaria. V The Completion of the Glossa by Master Anselm’s Successors. 3 Master Anselm and the Origins of Systematic Theology. I The Scholastic Routine: From Glosses to sententiae. II A Student’s Collection of sententiae. III Master Anselm’s Questions and Answers. IV The Bridge Between the Monastic Past. and the Scholastic Future. V Summing Up. 4 Stumbling Towards System, c. 1100–1160. I From sentences to System. II Early Collections of sententiae. III The Years Between 1130 and 1160. 5 Hugh of St. Victor: A Systematic Genius Before His Time. I His Origin and Scholarly Beginnings. II Towards a Systematic World-View. III Master Hugh in His Classroom. IV Hugh’s Projected Lectures on God in Human History. V Hugh’s Ambiguous Position in Scholastic Development. 6 Scholars at the Frontiers of Knowledge: William of Conches and Thierry of Chartres. I William of Conches. II Thierry of Chartres. III Conclusion. 7 Abelard at the Frontier of Logic and Theology. I Introduction. II Abelard’s New Beginning. III Logic and the Holy Trinity. IV An Unexpected Source of Opposition (Walter of Mortagne). V The Enlargement of Theology. 8 The Decisive Battles of the 1140s. I The Road to Conflict. II The First. Battle: St. Bernard and Abelard. III The Background to the First. Battle: William of St. Thierry and St. Bernard. IV The Second Battle: St. Bernard and Gilbert De La Porrée. V The Significance of 1148. 9 Peter Lombard: the Great Achiever. I Introduction. II The Continuing Problem of Organization. III Peter Lombard Comes to Paris. IV Peter Lombard’s Patron: Odo (Or Otto), Bishop of Lucca. V Peter Lombard’s Career and Work in Paris, c. 1138-1160. VI A Comparison Between His Work and That of Bishop Odo of Lucca. VII Summing-Up. PART FOUR – THE STRUGGLE OF THE SCHOLARS IN THE WORLD. Introduction. 10 Master Vacarius: A Roman Lawyer in English Government, c. 1145 to c. 1200. I The Legend and the Reality. II Why, and When, Did Archbishop Theobald Bring Vacarius to England? III The Liber pauperum. IV Vacarius in the Archiepiscopal Province of York. V Vacarius’ Later Writings. 11 John of Salisbury: A Scholar at Large in Government. I The End of His School-Years. II His Transference to the World of Government. 12 The Two Peters of Blois in the Schools and in Government. I Introduction. II Their Relationship and Personalities. III The Two Peters of Blois in the Schools, c. 1140–1165. IV The Younger Peter’s Search for Employment, 1165–1174. V Stability then Uncertainty for the Younger Peter. VI Peter and the Third Crusade. VII Peter in the Service of Baldwin, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1184–1190. VIII Peter and the Call for a Crusade. IX Peter Writes a Last Letter to His Namesake. X The Two Peters of Blois as Poets. XI The Letters and the World of Peter’s Old Age. XII Epilogue: The Letter-Collection Marches On. Index.

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Book SynopsisPlatonic Theology is the visionary and philosophical masterpiece of Marsilio Ficino (1433–1499), the Florentine scholar-philosopher-magus largely responsible for the Renaissance revival of Plato. This work, translated into English for the first time, is a key to understanding the art, thought, culture, and spirituality of the Renaissance.Trade ReviewBy providing an accurate text and a readable translation in an elegant yet affordable format, this volume will benefit both scholars and students, who might not be familiar with Ficino’s sometimes difficult and elliptical Latin. It will interest not only those who are working on Ficino and Italian humanism but also anyone who is concerned with the history of Platonism and Neoplatonism. No doubt this edition will stimulate further studies on Ficino’s Platonic Theology, which will in turn enlighten significant aspects of Ficino’s thought, identify new sources and provide a comprehensive exegesis of this fundamental text. -- Maude Vanhaelen * Bryn Mawr Classical Review *It is a pleasure to record the four latest appearances in The I Tatti Renaissance Library, which has quickly established itself as a major new publication outlet for Neo-Latin literature that, unlike most new series, is putting out volumes more quickly than was originally projected. It is appropriate now, I believe, to single out the work of the General Editor, James Hankins, whose inexhaustible appetite for plain old hard work is the driving force behind the success of the series. [Harvard University Press] is certainly to be commended for committing resources to an area whose commercial success was not a given, but I know from my own experience that Hankins not only manages the timely appearance of the volumes, but oversees details to a degree that far exceeds normal editing. Bravo! -- Craig Kallendorf * Neo-Latin News *Ficino set out to show that the ancient Neoplatonic philosophy embodied a "gentile theological tradition," one that complemented the Mosaic revelation to the Jews and prepared its devotees for the final truths of Christianity. Ficino worked in full knowledge of the internal complications of Neoplatonism. He wrote and argued in styles that ranged from the logical and synthetic to the poetic and evocative, as he struggled to find ways to prove that the universe was orderly and governed by a Creator and to lay out the place within it of the immortal human soul. -- Anthony T. Grafton * New York Review of Books *Though academicians have already produced a mass of material on Renaissance painting, sculpture, music, politics, and culture, modern scholarship has only recently begun to recuperate the underlying philosophy of these humanist phenomena. Allen and Hankins, with the help of Bowen, have made a valuable contribution to that scholarship. -- Daniel B. Gallagher * Classical Bulletin *

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Book SynopsisPlatonic Theology is the visionary and philosophical masterpiece of Marsilio Ficino (14331499), the Florentine scholar-philosopher-magus largely responsible for the Renaissance revival of Plato. This work, translated into English for the first time, is a key to understanding the art, thought, culture, and spirituality of the Renaissance.Trade ReviewFicino set out to show that the ancient Neoplatonic philosophy embodied a "gentile theological tradition," one that complemented the Mosaic revelation to the Jews and prepared its devotees for the final truths of Christianity. Ficino worked in full knowledge of the internal complications of Neoplatonism. He wrote and argued in styles that ranged from the logical and synthetic to the poetic and evocative, as he struggled to find ways to prove that the universe was orderly and governed by a Creator and to lay out the place within it of the immortal human soul. -- Anthony T. Grafton * New York Review of Books *As in previous volumes, Allen has rendered an elegant translation of an often daunting neo-Latin text. -- Daniel Galagher * Classical Bulletin *The English translation of volume 5 seems to have captured the sense of the Latin well...Although Neoplatonic philosophy will never be easy reading, this translation and the accompanying Latin text should be helpful to any student of Florentine Neoplatonism. -- Charles G. Nauert * Sixteenth Century Journal *

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Book SynopsisNicholas of Cusa (14011464), a student of canon law who became a Catholic cardinal, was widely considered the most important original philosopher of the Renaissance. He wrote principally on theology, philosophy, and church politics. This volume makes most of Nicholas's other writings on Church and reform available in English for the first time.

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Book SynopsisThe national bestselling author of A Natural History of the Senses tackles the realm of creativity, by exploring one of the most essential aspects of our characters: the ability to play. Deep play is that more intensified form of play that puts us in a rapturous mood and awakens the most creative, sentient, and joyful aspects of our inner selves. As Diane Ackerman ranges over a panoply of artistic, spiritual, and athletic activities, from spiritual rapture through extreme sports, we gain a greater sense of what it means to be in the moment and totally, transcendentally human. Keenly perceived and written with poetic exuberance, Deep Play enlightens us by revealing the manifold ways we can enhance our lives.

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Book SynopsisThe enigmatic sixteenth-century Swiss physician and natural philosopher Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, called Paracelsus, is known for the almost superhuman energy with which he produced his innumerable writings. This anthology presents a selection of the moral thought of this man.Trade Review"The importance of Paracelsus lies in the link which he provides between medieval and scientific thought. Believing in and practicing alchemy, magic, astrology and various divinatory techniques, he was also 'the first modern scientist,' and the 'precursor of microchemistry, antisepsis, modern wound surgery, homeopathy and a number of ultra-modern achievements.' In this readable anthology a full picture of the man and his thought is presented... in the form of a cleverly constructed mosaic of direct quotations from the fifteen volumes of his collected works."--The Times Literary Supplement

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Book SynopsisChallenges the entrenched understandings of Machiavelli, arguing that he was a moral and political philosopher who consistently favored the rule of law over that of men, that he had a coherent theory of justice, and that he did not defend the 'Machiavellian' maxim that the ends justify the means.Trade Review"Taking a cue from Rousseau, who read Machiavelli as a serious republican thinker, Benner argues that Machiavelli did not at all separate ethics from politics... Benner's interest in Machiavelli's rhetorical strategies produces gratifyingly detailed and impressive readings of difficult passages... This is a provocative argument for Machiavelli as a proponent of moral autonomy and ethical reflectiveness."--Victoria Kahn, Times Literary Supplement "This major new study of Machiavelli's moral and political philosophy by Benner argues that most readings of Machiavelli suffer from a failure to appreciate his debt to Greek sources, particularly the Socratic tradition of moral and political philosophy... Her research is meticulous and her arguments finely honed. This important contribution to both Machiavelli studies and the history of political philosophy will be indispensable for scholars."--Choice "This book is a prime example of thorough and detailed scholarship... With the publication of this bold but responsible contribution to scholarship, those who assert that Machiavelli was not an ethical philosopher have a significant amount of evidence and argumentation to overcome."--David F. Horkott, International Philosophical Quarterly "[Benner's] reading yields an innovative and stimulating interpretation of a notoriously difficult (even slippery) author that is meant to reveal his distinctive contribution to philosophical concerns. Benner's insights are often surprising and challenging, but are definitely worthy of careful consideration... Her book gives us very good reasons for thinking that Machiavelli may have adopted the kind of ethical individualism that she ascribes to him."--Cary J. Nederman, Notre Dame Philosophical Review "[A] book that swims against the current, one that orients its perspective backwards, towards antiquity. A refreshing catharsis now that I am stepping out from the flood of current events. Benner puts forward the thesis that Machiavelli was no Machiavellian in his values [but] a moral philosopher with high republican ideals, a critical humanist... Least in tune with our age are the great demands that, following in the footsteps of Machiavelli and the classics of antiquity, Benner makes on readers [to] train themselves in the art of seeing through all manner of manipulations. A call to break through the cobwebs of propaganda that the powerful try to run around citizens, especially in election years."--Rolf Gustavsson, Svenska Dagbladet "Machiavelli's Ethics is a remarkable account of the dominant themes in Machiavelli's work and his role as a moral and political philosopher unusually sensitive to reality. It should be read by all who are interested in philosophy, politics, rhetoric, and the history of Western thought. Books of such perceptive insight and scholarly care arrive infrequently."--Michael K. Potter, Philosophy in ReviewTable of ContentsAcknowledgments xiii Abbreviations xv Introduction 1 Arguments: Philosophical ethics and the rule of law 5 Sources: Greek ethics 8 Part I: Contexts Chapter 1: Civil Reasonings: Machiavelli's Practical Filosofia 15 1.1. Florentine Histories: Decent words, indecent deeds 16 1.2. Flawed remedies: Rhetoric and power politics 25 1.3. Flawed analyses: Self-celebratory versus self-critical histories 30 1.4. Philosophy and the vita activa in Florentine humanism 37 1.5. What is, has been, and can reasonably be: Machiavelli's correspondence 43 1.6. The Socratic tradition of philosophical politics 49 1.7. Forming republics in writing and in practice: The Discursus 54 Chapter 2: Ancient Sources: Dissimulation in Greek Ethics 63 2.1. Constructive dissimulation: Writing as civil "medicine" 64 2.2. Inoculation for citizens: Words and deeds in Xenophon's Cyropaedia 71 2.3. Conversations with rulers: Plutarch and Xenophon on purging tyranny 78 2.4. Dissimulating about deception: Xenophon's Cambyses 84 2.5. Dissimulating about justice: Thucydides' Diodotus 88 Part II: Foundations Chapter 3: Imitation and Knowledge 101 3.1. The ancient tradition of imitating ancients 101 3.2. Inadequate imitation: The "unreasonable praise of antiquity" 107 3.3. Historical judgment: Criticism of sources and self-examination 111 3.4. The Socratic metaphor of hunting 116 3.5. Ethical judgment: The "true knowledge of histories" 124 3.6. Machiavelli's dangerous new reasonings 132 Chapter 4: N ecessity and Virtue 135 4.1. The rhetoric of necessity 136 4.2. Necessita as an excuse 140 4.3. Necessita as a pretext 142 4.4. Imposing and removing necessita 147 4.5. Virtu as reflective prudence: Taking stock of ordinary constraints 150 4.6. Under- and overassertive responses to necessity 153 4.7. Virtu as self-responsibility: Authorizing constraints on one's own forces 156 4.8. Virtu as autonomy: Imposing one's own orders and laws 161 4.9. Necessita and fortuna 166 Chapter 5: Human Nature and Human Orders 169 5.1. Fortune and free will 170 5.2. How to manage fortuna: Impetuosity and respetto 175 5.3. Practical theology: Heavenly judgments and human reasons 180 5.4. Practical prophecies: Foreseeing the future by "natural virtues" 184 5.5. Moral psychology: The malignita of human nature and the discipline of virtu 190 5.6. Human zoology: The ways of men and beasts 197 5.7. Human cities, where modes are neither delicate nor too harsh 201 5.8. Who is responsible for the laws? Human reasoning and civilita 206 Part III: Principles Chapter 6: Free Agency and Desires for Freedom 213 6.1. The Discourses on desires for freedom in and among cities 214 6.2. The Florentine Histories on freedom and the need for self-restraint 221 6.3. Are desires for freedom universal? 226 6.4. Inadequate conceptions of freedom 231 6.5. The rhetoric of liberta in republics 239 6.6. Free will and free agency 244 Chapter 7: Free Orders 254 7.1. Priorities I: Respect for free agency as a condition for stable orders 255 7.2. Priorities II: Willing authorization as the foundation of free orders 259 7.3. Conditions I: Universal security 262 7.4. Conditions II: Transparency and publicity 266 7.5. Conditions III: Equal opportunity 269 7.6. Foundations of political freedom: Procedural constraints and the rule of law 279 7.7. Persuasions: Why should people choose free orders? 287 Chapter 8: Justice and Injustice 290 8.1. Justice as the basis of order and liberta 291 8.2. Partisan accounts of justice 299 8.3. Non-partisan persuasions toward justice 306 8.4. Why it is dangerous to violate the law of nations 309 8.5. Forms of justice: Promises, punishments, and distributions 314 8.6. Ignorance of justice: Who is responsible for upholding just orders? 320 Chapter 9: Ends and Means 325 9.1. Responsibility for bad outcomes: The dangers of giving counsel 326 9.2. Judging wars by post facto outcomes 331 9.3. Judging wars by anticipated outcomes 335 9.4. Reflective consequentialism or deontology? 340 9.5. Problem 1: Unjust means corrupt good ends 343 9.6. Problem 2: Who can be trusted to foresee effects? 347 9.7. Problem 3: Who can be trusted to identify good ends? 351 9.8. Problem 4: Corrupting examples 357 9.9. Corrupt judgments: Means and ends in the Prince 360 Part IV: Politics Chapter 10: Ordinary and Extraordinary Authority 367 10.1. The antithesis between ordinary and extraordinary modes 367 10.2. Are conspiracies ever justified? 373 10.3. Extraordinary and ordinary ways to renovate corrupt cities 380 10.4. Unreasonable uses of religion: Easy ways to acquire authority 386 10.5. Reasonable uses of religion: Fear of God and fear of human justice 394 10.6. Folk religion and civil reasoning 400 Chapter 11: Legislators and Princes 407 11.1. Spartan founders and refounders: Lycurgus, Agis, and Cleomenes 408 11.2. Roman founders and legislators: Romulus and Aeneas 418 11.3. God's executors and modes of free building: Moses 424 11.4. Ordinary mortals and the ancient ideal of the one-man legislator 432 11.5. Persuasion in the Prince: On maintaining one's own arms 437 11.6. Princely knowledge and the "knowledge of peoples" 447 Chapter 12: E xpansion and Empire 451 12.1. Why republics must expand: The defects of non-expansionist republics 451 12.2. Three modes: Equal partnership, subjection to one, and the Roman mode 454 12.3. The Roman "middle way": Making subjects or partners 458 12.4. Bad Roman modes, good Roman orders: The choice between extremes 464 12.5. Why Roman imperio became pernicious: The wars with Carthage 468 12.6. Expansion by partnership: The forgotten Tuscan league 475 12.7. Should Florence imitate Rome? 478 Conclusions 484 This interpretation and others 490 Machiavelli and the ethical foundations of political philosophy 496 Bibliography 499 Index 509

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewWinner of the 2013 National Jewish Book Award in Scholarship, Jewish Book Council Honorable Mention for the 2015 PROSE Award in Theology & Religious Studies, Association of American Publishers One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2014 "In his rigorous and insightful study Maimonides: Life and Thought, Moshe Halbertal reintroduces readers to this rabbi-scientist, who insisted that faith should be an enterprise based on reason."--Dara Horn, Wall Street Journal "[M]agisterial... Halbertal presents a moving and detailed portrait of Maimonides's life as well as his work... Maimonides is not just a titan of Jewish learning; as Halbertal shows in his timely and definitive book, he can be a surprisingly contemporary guide for our times."--David Mikics, Forward "[Halbertal] pioneers a new path, walking the reader through the different interpretive schools and explaining what supports each one while acknowledging that Maimonides contradicts himself both across and within his many writings--at times purposefully, which inevitably leaves his readers perplexed. Halbertal is a wonderful guide, explaining how different approaches illuminate Maimonides' writings and how certain issues reverberate throughout the sage's work, returning in new forms and contexts... Drawing on all of Maimonides' writings, and especially his many letters, Halbertal crafts a portrait of a refugee who never fully left home and felt the pain of exile for his entire life... [An] extraordinary book."--Jay M. Harris, Foreign Affairs "In a sea of literature about the great twelfth-century Jewish sage and philosopher, one could do no better than turn to Moshe Halbertal's single volume work on Maimonides... Accessible to both scholar and interested general reader, this book should be the first work on Maimonides for an English reader to approach."--David Tesler, Association of Jewish Libraries Reviews "If you are going to read only one book about Maimonides, make it Moshe Halbertal's stunning Maimonides. Even if you have read many other books by and about Maimonides, you have much to learn here."--Menachem Kellner, AJS Review "Halbertal's book provides an introduction to the complexity of Maimonides's work, and should be studied by any serious Maimonides scholar."--Tamar Rudavsky, Journal of the History of Philosophy "Maimonides, then, remains an elusive and fascinating figure: his importance is clear, but it's hard to grasp exactly what made him so important. That is why Maimonides: Life and Thought, the new study by Moshe Halbertal, is such a valuable contribution... Readers who are curious about this difficult but rewarding thinker will find Maimonides: Life and Thought a thrillingly lucid introduction."--Adam Kirsch, Barnes & Noble Review "Moshe Halbertal's Maimonides is a useful guide to the man and his work, with something to offer both novice and scholar... [T]his admirable work invites us to study Moses Maimonides' writings on our own."--Mark Blitz, Weekly Standard "Halbertal, a professor of both law and Jewish studies, is equipped to grasp the richness of Maimonides's thought, which reflects a potent blend of rabbinic expertise and philosophical acumen... If Halbertal's book accomplishes nothing else but to inspire this Maimonidean approach to life and religion, then he has done his job well."--James A. Diamond, Jerusalem Post "[S]tudying the Andalusian refugee Maimonides will be revealing and this terrific book by the philosopher Moshe Halbertal is a great place to begin."--Richard Marshall, 3ammagazine.com "This insightful, well-written book offers a fresh perspective on Maimonides. Halbertal offers an excellent introductory overview of Maimonides's life and contributions to Jewish law, philosophy, medicine, and religious consciousness. He also makes clear how Mainmonides's personality, psychology, and evolving outlook penetrate his oeuvre... The author offers a window into the self-perception of this greatest of medieval rabbinic thinkers, physicians, legalists, and theologians, and the radical transformations he sought to effect in Judaism."--Choice "[A] valuable and impressive achievement."--Eric Shoag, Jewish Journal "[A] brilliant tour de force."--Lawrence Kaplan, Jewish Review of Books "In this excellent study, Moshe Halbertal makes it clear, in keeping with Maimonides, that there is no one way to understand the Jewish tradition."--Jude P. Dougherty, Mary Elizabeth Tetzlaff "[A]n unusually comprehensive overview of Maimonides achievements."--Berel Dov Lerner, Religion & TheologyTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 Chapter One: Moses the Man "Moses of his Generation" 7 Andalusia: 1138-1159 (?) 14 The Maghrib and Persecution: 1159-1166 23 Fustat: 1166-1177 33 Yemen and Islam: 1172 47 In the Sultan's Palace: 1178-1204 56 The Man Moses 74 Chapter Two: The Commentary on the Mishnah, the Book of Commandments, and the Philosophy of halakhah In the Laboratory of the Commentary on the Mishnah 92 The Purpose of the Commentary on the Mishnah 96 Controversy, Truth, and Interpretation 99 The Book of Commandments and the Structure of halakhah 107 On the Place of Revelation 111 Revelation and Interpretation 116 Interpretation in halakhah: Between Explanatory Principles and Deductive Principles 120 Halakhah and Prophecy 126 Chapter Three: Ethics and Belief in the Commentary on the Mishnah Principles of Faith 134 What Is Man: Immortality of the Soul, and the Afterlife 137 Resurrection of the Dead 142 The Ethics of Virtue and the Ethics of Obligation 148 The Sage and the Pietist 154 Nobility and Saintliness 158 Chapter Four: What Is Mishneh Torah? The Aims and Qualities of the Compilation 164 Mishneh Torah and the History of halakhah 168 The Mishnah of Rabbi Judah the Prince and Mishneh Torah 171 The Authority of the Talmud and the Authority of the Geonim 175 Mishneh Torah: The Moderate and Radical Alternatives 181 Mishneh Torah and Jewish Curriculum 184 Ambiguity and Codification 189 Codification and Self-Esteem 194 Chapter Five: Philosophy and halakhah in Mishneh Torah Love and Awe: Philosophy and Religious Experience 197 The Concept of the Divine: Eternal Universe and Creation ex Nihilo 202 Prophecy, Faith, and the Election of Israel 208 Halakhah, Magic, and Idolatry 216 Messianism, halakhah, and Nature 223 Chapter Six: Mishneh Torah and the Conceptual Understanding of halakhah Reorganizing the halakhah: Form and Content 229 "Laws Concerning Mourning" and the Organization of Mishneh Torah 236 Forging Concepts, Distinctions, and Generalizations 243 Mishneh Torah and Talmudic Sources 255 Three Functions of Aggadah in Mishneh Torah 262 Chapter Seven: The Guide of the Perplexed and Its Critique of Religious Language Concealed and Revealed in the Guide of the Perplexed 277 Idolatry and Religious Language 288 "For You, Silence Is Praise" 296 The Skeptical Reading and the Mystical Reading 301 Chapter Eight: The Guide of the Perplexed: Will or Wisdom? The Creation of the World: The Conservative Reading and the Philosophical Reading 313 The Doctrine of Prophecy 321 The Problem of Evil and the Purpose of Existence 329 Providence 335 The Reasons for the Commandments 341 The Commandments and the Philosopher's Spiritual Exercise 349 Conclusion Four Readings 354 Three Common Elements 358 Maimonides' Teachings in Historical Perspective 362 Maimonides' Writings 369 Bibliography 371 Index 381

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year""This analysis should be essential to any comprehensive treatment of the Florentine’s thought."---R. Heineman, Choice

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