Peter Abelard
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (2008)
| Abstract | Peter Abelard (1079 – 21 April 1142) [‘Abailard’ or ‘Abaelard’ or ‘Habalaarz’ and so on] was the pre-eminent philosopher and theologian of the twelfth century. The teacher of his generation, he was also famous as a poet and a musician. Prior to the recovery of Aristotle, he brought the native Latin tradition in philosophy to its highest pitch. His genius was evident in all he did. He is, arguably, the greatest logician of the Middle Ages and is equally famous as the first great nominalist philosopher. He championed the use of reason in matters of faith (he was the first to use ‘theology’ in its modern sense), and his systematic treatment of religious doctrines are as remarkable for their philosophical penetration and subtlety as they are for their audacity. Abelard seemed larger than life to his contemporaries: his quick wit, sharp tongue, perfect memory, and boundless arrogance made him unbeatable in debate — he was said by supporter and detractor alike never to have lost an argument — and the force of his personality impressed itself vividly on all with whom he came into contact. His luckless affair with Héloïse made him a tragic figure of romance, and his conflict with Bernard of Clairvaux over reason and religion made him the hero of the Enlightenment. For all his colourful life, though, his philosophical achievements are the cornerstone of his fame. | |||||||||
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Similar books and articlesMartin Lenz (2005). Peculiar Perfection: Peter Abelard on Propositional Attitudes. Journal of the History of Philosophy 43 (4):377-386.
Peter King (2007). Abelard on Mental Language. American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly 81 (2):169-187.
Jeffrey E. Brower & Kevin Guilfoy (eds.) (2004). The Cambridge Companion to Abelard. Cambridge University Press.
Peter King (2007). Abelard on Mental Language. American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly 81 (2):169-187.
C. J. Mews (2005). Abelard and Heloise. Oxford University Press.
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Last Name, First & Middle Names, Abelard, Peter. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
John Marenbon (1997). The Philosophy of Peter Abelard. Cambridge University Press.
Peter Abelard (2001). Collationes. Oxford University Press.
Peter Abelard (2001). Peter Abelard: Collationes. Clarendon Press.
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