Medieval Philosophy

Why do good things happen to bad people? Can we prove whether God exists? What is the difference between right and wrong? Medieval philosophers were centrally concerned with such questions, questions which are as relevant today as a thousand years ago when the likes of Anselm and Aquinas sought to resolve them. In this fast-paced and enlightening guide, Sharon M. Kaye takes us on a whistle-stop tour of medieval philosophy, revealing the debt it owes to Aristotle and Plato.

Ockham Explained is an important and much-needed resource on William of Ockham, one of the most important philosophers of the Middle Ages. His eventful and controversial life was marked by sharp career moves and academic and ecclesiastical battles. At 28, Ockham was a conservative English theologian focused obsessively on the nature of language, but by 40, he had transformed into a fugitive friar, accused of heresy, and finally protected by the German emperor as he composed incendiary treatises calling for strong limits on papal authority.

Already a classic, this landmark study of early Western thought now appears in a new edition with expanded coverage of the Middle Ages. Author Anthony Gottlieb looks afresh at the writings of the great thinkers, questions much of conventional wisdom, and explains his findings with unbridled brilliance and clarity. From the pre-Socratic philosophers through the celebrated days of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, up to Renaissance visionaries like Erasmus and Bacon, philosophy emerges here as a phenomenon unconfined by any one discipline.

An illuminating guide to the scientific and technological achievements of the Middle Ages through the life of a crusading astronomer-monk.

What happens when one man dares to bridge worlds? Meet Averroes—philosopher, jurist, and the daring voice of reason who challenged the boundaries between faith and logic, East and West. In Averroism for Beginners: The Intersection of Islam, Philosophy, and the West, discover the untold story of a 12th-century thinker whose ideas ignited revolutions in theology, philosophy, and education. Unlock the secrets of the Double Truth Doctrine, the radical notion that theological and philosophical truths can coexist without contradiction. Explore the unity of intellect, Averroes’ daring claim ...

The 10 enlightening (and often humorous) lectures of Medieval Myths and Mysteries will show you how far from the “dark” times of legend these centuries were. Uncover the facts about the Knights Templar. Reveal the truth behind the tales of legendary creatures like the Questing Beast and the unicorn. Trace the events of the Black Death and the ways it altered the world in its wake, and much more. With Professor Armstrong, you will dig deep into the ways that later generations reshaped the narrative of the medieval years and perpetuated the myths.

Best-selling author Richard E. Rubenstein brings the past to life in this engrossing story of social, religious, and scientific revolution during one of the darkest periods in European history. When a group of Dark Ages scholars rediscovered the works of Aristotle, the great thinker's ideas ignited a firestorm of enlightened thought. This is the endlessly fascinating account of the pivotal period in history when the modern era took root.

Farabi & The Harmony of the Intellect. A bright, clear study of a mind that refused to choose between reason and faith and instead tuned them into a single instrument of political and moral order. Known as “The Second Teacher” after Aristotle, Al‑Farabi rewired Greek philosophy for a new world, insisting that virtue is practical, reason is musical, and a just society can be engineered by clear thought. This book traces that unlikely architecture—music, metaphysics, and statecraft—without reverence, without eulogy, and without spoilers. Read this if you want an intellectual ...

The Shorter Summa (Compendium of Theology) — Thomas Aquinas A New Modern English Translation with Explainers to Clarify Difficult Concepts Thomas Aquinas’s concise handbook of Christian theology—known both as the Compendium of Theology and the Shorter Summa—now rendered in clear, current English. This reader-friendly edition keeps Aquinas’s structure and arguments intact while removing archaic phrasing and adding brief, targeted explainers where readers typically get stuck. Why this edition New modern English translation: faithful to Aquinas, stripped of needless archaic language....

Vincent Giraud, philosophe et professeur à l'université de Doshisha, nous propose d'aborder la pensée médiévale latine sous l'angle de la notion fondamentale de la Création. Non pensée par les Grecs, la création de toutes choses fut à la base des réflexions médiévales sur de nombreux sujets comme l'être, le bien, le beau. Sur une période de presque mille ans, le philosophe fait découvrir une pensée riche, évolutive et dynamique.

What if the ideas you’ve been taught about reality were merely illusions? Nominalism for Beginners unravels the centuries-old debate that reshaped the way we think about truth, meaning, and the nature of existence. This book is your gateway to understanding one of philosophy’s most provocative revolutions—where everything you thought was universal is replaced by the power of particulars. Explore the origins of a groundbreaking idea. Journey through the Middle Ages, where thinkers like William of Ockham dared to defy tradition. Discover how their rejection of universals set the stage ...

Embark on a transformative journey with "Boethius for Beginners: A Journey Through Philosophy and Faith." This compelling guide opens the door to the timeless wisdom of Boethius, offering insights that are as relevant today as they were centuries ago. Unlock the secrets of happiness and virtue: Discover how Boethius' reflections on true happiness and inner virtues can guide you towards a more fulfilling and meaningful life. His teachings provide practical wisdom for navigating the complexities of modern existence. Explore the power of resilience: Learn from Boethius’ own experiences of ...

Lost Enlightenment recounts how, between the years 800 and 1200, Central Asia led the world in trade and economic development, the size and sophistication of its cities, the refinement of its arts, and, above all, in the advancement of knowledge in many fields. Central Asians achieved signal breakthroughs in astronomy, mathematics, geology, medicine, chemistry, music, social science, philosophy, and theology, among other subjects.

Scholars, journalists, and politicians uphold Muslim-ruled medieval Spain - "al-Andalus" - as a multicultural paradise, a place where Muslims, Christians, and Jews lived in harmony. There is only one problem with this widely accepted account: It is a myth. In this groundbreaking book, Northwestern University scholar Darío Fernández-Morera tells the full story of Islamic Spain. As professors, politicians, and pundits continue to celebrate Islamic Spain for its "multiculturalism" and "diversity", Fernández-Morera sets the record straight.

In this account of Europe’s rise to world leadership in technology, Frances and Joseph Gies make use of recent scholarship to destroy two time-honored myths. Myth One: that Europe’s leap forward occurred suddenly in the “Renaissance,” following centuries of medieval stagnation. Myth Two: that Europe achieved its primacy through “Western” superiority.

The millennium between the breakup of the western Roman Empire and the Reformation was a long and hugely transformative period - one not easily chronicled within a single book. Yet distinguished historian Chris Wickham has taken up the challenge in this landmark book, and he succeeds in producing the most riveting account of medieval Europe in a generation.

Both a history and an examination of human thought and behavior spanning three thousand years, On Politics thrillingly traces the origins of political philosophy from the ancient Greeks to Machiavelli in Book I and from Hobbes to the present age in Book II. Whether examining Lord Acton's dictum that "absolute power corrupts absolutely" or explicating John Stuart Mill's contention that it is "better to be a human dissatisfied than a pig satisfied," Alan Ryan evokes the lives and minds of our greatest thinkers in a way that makes hearing about them a transcendent experience.

Maimonides: The Life, Philosophy, and Enduring Legacy of Judaism’s Greatest Medieval Thinker is a clear and engaging guide to one of the most influential figures in Jewish history. This book offers an accessible exploration of Maimonides’ extraordinary life, from his early years in Cordoba through his exile across the Mediterranean and his rise to prominence in Egypt as a physician, legal authority, and community leader. Readers gain a vivid sense of the challenges he faced, the intellectual world he inhabited, and the personal resilience that shaped his remarkable contributions to ...

“The Map of Knowledge is an endlessly fascinating book, rich in detail, capacious and humane in vision.” —Stephen Greenblatt, author of The Swerve: How the World Became Modern, winner of the Pulitzer Prize After the Fall of Rome, when many of the great ideas of the ancient world were...

For many, the medieval world seems dark and foreign - a miraculous, brutal, and irrational time of superstition and strange relics. The pursuit of heretics, the Inquisition, the Crusades, and the domination of the "Holy Land" come to mind.