- Medieval Philosophy, Theology, Medieval Theology, Augustine of Hippo, Albert the Great, Dietrich von Freiberg, and 19 moreUlrich of Strasbourg, Thomas Aquinas, Bonaventure, Augustine, Kairos, Franziskanerschule, Aevum Currens, Abditum mentis, Intellectus Agens, Intellekttheorie, De origine, Andrea Colli, Philosophy, Medieval Studies, Philosophy Of Religion, Philosophy of Time, Late Antiquity, Philosophical Theology, and Cecilia Martini Bonadeoedit
- Andrea Colli is senior assistant professor (fixed-term) at the Department of Philosophy and Communication Studies of ... moreAndrea Colli is senior assistant professor (fixed-term) at the Department of Philosophy and Communication Studies of the University of Bologna. After his PhD at the University of Florence, in co-tutorship with the Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg (2009), he has directed, or otherwise participated, in many research projects in national and international institutes (University of Cagliari, University of Trento, University of Pisa, University of Paris IV). In 2015 he has obtained a Marie Curie Individual Fellowship, in the framework of Horizon 2020, for carrying out the research project "Freedom of Teaching and Political Control" at the University of Cologne. In 2018 he has received the “Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale” as Associate Professor.edit
The so-called Lectura Thomasina, a commentary on Peter Lombard’s Sentences, was composed by the Dominican William of Peter of Godin at the beginning of the 14th century. The manuscript tradition provides the text with the title... more
The so-called Lectura Thomasina, a commentary on Peter Lombard’s Sentences, was composed by the Dominican William of Peter of Godin at the beginning of the 14th century. The manuscript tradition provides the text with the title ‘Thomasina’ because of the large number of verbatim quotations from Aquinas’ writings. This text is not a mere compilation of Aquinas’ dicta, but represents an attempt to outline the fundamental elements of Thomas’ doctrine, giving them both unity and coherence. For this reason, Godin’s commentary is an important witness to the reception of Aquinas’ texts during the period between his death and his canonization.
The critical edition of the Lectura Thomasina, presented here for the first time, is based on an examination of the entire manuscript tradition and is accompanied by an historical and philological introduction.
The first half of the second book (dist. 1-22), edited in the present volume, covers a number of topics (e.g., the eternity of the world, the principle of individuation or the soul-body problem), which have been the subject of a lively debate between Thomists and anti-Thomists in the late 13th and the early 14th century
The critical edition of the Lectura Thomasina, presented here for the first time, is based on an examination of the entire manuscript tradition and is accompanied by an historical and philological introduction.
The first half of the second book (dist. 1-22), edited in the present volume, covers a number of topics (e.g., the eternity of the world, the principle of individuation or the soul-body problem), which have been the subject of a lively debate between Thomists and anti-Thomists in the late 13th and the early 14th century
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Esistono parole che piu di altre contribuiscono a caratterizzare il pensiero di un autore, a svelarne le intenzioni e a seguirne le tracce nella storia delle idee. E' il caso del concetto di “nobiltà” negli scritti di Alberto Magno:... more
Esistono parole che piu di altre contribuiscono a caratterizzare il pensiero di un autore, a svelarne le intenzioni e a seguirne le tracce nella storia delle idee. E' il caso del concetto di “nobiltà” negli scritti di Alberto Magno: nobile è l’anima, l’intelletto agente, la causa prima, ma anche l’uomo rispetto a tutti gli altri animali; nobilissima è poi la philosophia prima, ma anche la theologia, e l’attivitàcontemplativa è piùnobile di quella pratica; o ancora, nobile è l’uomo dotato di ingegno e dunque capace di distinguere il vero dal falso. Che queste e molte altre occorrenze di nobilitas o nobilis, disseminate in alcuni snodi cruciali della riflessione albertina, siano irrelate tra loro e rappresentino una semplice variazione lessicale di espressioni meno definite, quali “migliore” o “superiore”, non è sostenibile. Attraverso l’analisi lessicografica di cinque binomi concettuali (nobilis-simplex, nobilis-separatus, nobilis-agens, nobilis-homo, nobilis-scientia) il libro cerca di documentare come l’idea di nobilta, ereditata da un quadro di fonti abbastanza eterogeneo, sia un’efficace chiave speculativa per accedere ad alcuni dei problemi piùdelicati e complessi del pensiero di Alberto Magno, e per mettere in relazione tra loro opere differenti nel contenuto e distanti cronologicamente.
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"La scelta di servirsi delle opere di Agostino per rileggere le tesi provenienti dalla tradizione peripatetica costituisce un tratto originale del pensiero di Teodorico di Freiberg (1240-1310), domenicano tedesco protagonista del... more
"La scelta di servirsi delle opere di Agostino per rileggere le tesi provenienti dalla tradizione peripatetica costituisce un tratto originale del pensiero di Teodorico di Freiberg (1240-1310), domenicano tedesco protagonista del dibattito accademico parigino di fine XIII secolo.
Nelle sue opere le nozioni agostiniane di abditum mentis e imago Dei trovano spazio accanto alla noetica aristotelica, così come i richiami all’XI libro delle Confessiones completano in modo atipico la definizione di tempo del IV libro della Physica. Egli documenta così un modo di procedere innovativo che fa di Agostino un vero interlocutore filosofico, non semplicemente un punto di riferimento convenzionale.
A partire da un’analisi puntuale delle citazioni è possibile tracciare un interessante quadro interpretativo del pensiero agostiniano, che costituisce un ineludibile punto di partenza per comprenderne la fortuna nella modernità."
Nelle sue opere le nozioni agostiniane di abditum mentis e imago Dei trovano spazio accanto alla noetica aristotelica, così come i richiami all’XI libro delle Confessiones completano in modo atipico la definizione di tempo del IV libro della Physica. Egli documenta così un modo di procedere innovativo che fa di Agostino un vero interlocutore filosofico, non semplicemente un punto di riferimento convenzionale.
A partire da un’analisi puntuale delle citazioni è possibile tracciare un interessante quadro interpretativo del pensiero agostiniano, che costituisce un ineludibile punto di partenza per comprenderne la fortuna nella modernità."
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Nel 1271, Giovanni Da Vercelli, Generale dei frati domenicani, promuove una consultazione fra i più eminenti teologi del suo Ordine. Al centro del dossier di 43 tesi, assieme a temi vari di ordine escatologico e teologico, si trova la... more
Nel 1271, Giovanni Da Vercelli, Generale dei frati domenicani, promuove una consultazione fra i più eminenti teologi del suo Ordine. Al centro del dossier di 43 tesi, assieme a temi vari di ordine escatologico e teologico, si trova la questione del movimento dei corpi celesti: un complesso problema aristotelico, giunto agli autori del XIII secolo attraverso la mediazione della filosofia araba ed ebraica. Cosa muove i corpi celesti? È Dio stesso a muovere i cieli in modo immediato oppure si avvale di agenti intermedi? In quest’ultimo caso, si tratta di intelligenze pure, anime celesti, o degli angeli della tradizione biblica? Ai quesiti risponde anche Alberto Magno, tornando così, alla fine della sua carriera, su un argomento che lo aveva già più volte appassionato. La sua posizione è radicale e prende di mira in particolare la tesi «curiosa» e «fatua» dell’azione strumentale degli angeli, di cui mette in luce la profonda estraneità alla tradizione filosofica e alle sue ragioni. In questo modo, a partire da un problema apparentemente tecnico come quello del movimento dei cieli, ma destinato ad avere ancora grande rilevanza nel dibattito filosofico e scientifico dell’età moderna, Alberto Magno prende posizione su grandi temi di carattere teologico, cosmologico e filosofico, come il rapporto fra il punto di vista della fede e quello della filosofia. I Problemata determinata di Alberto Magno sono qui proposti nella prima traduzione italiana corredata di testo latino a fronte.
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Il pensiero scolastico è profondamente affascinato dal problema del tempo. La sua esistenza, la sua definizione, il suo legame con il movimento e con l’anima, la nozione di durata, la relazione tra eternità e temporalità sono tutte... more
Il pensiero scolastico è profondamente affascinato dal problema del tempo. La sua esistenza, la sua definizione, il suo legame con il movimento e con l’anima, la nozione di durata, la relazione tra eternità e temporalità sono tutte angolature o prospettive differenti, attraverso cui gli autori del XIII secolo si interrogano sul divenire delle sostanze e, in parallelo, su ciò che si sottrae alla mutevolezza e alla caducità.
I trattati De mensuris e del De natura et proprietate continuorum di Teodorico di Freiberg (1240-1310) – di cui si presentano qui traduzione e commento – costituiscono un’opportunità privilegiata per entrare nelle pieghe di questo dibattito. Il genere del trattato “scientifico”, non così diffuso alla fine del XIII secolo, permette infatti di mettere a fuoco le diverse opinioni e l’eterogeneo quadro di fonti che ne fanno da sfondo. La natura dei problemi sollevati e la raffinatezza degli argomenti addotti per risolverli non risultano mai artificiosi, ma rimandano all’esigenza più radicale di offrire risposte a istanze che, in altre epoche, non esiteremmo a definire “esistenziali”.
I trattati De mensuris e del De natura et proprietate continuorum di Teodorico di Freiberg (1240-1310) – di cui si presentano qui traduzione e commento – costituiscono un’opportunità privilegiata per entrare nelle pieghe di questo dibattito. Il genere del trattato “scientifico”, non così diffuso alla fine del XIII secolo, permette infatti di mettere a fuoco le diverse opinioni e l’eterogeneo quadro di fonti che ne fanno da sfondo. La natura dei problemi sollevati e la raffinatezza degli argomenti addotti per risolverli non risultano mai artificiosi, ma rimandano all’esigenza più radicale di offrire risposte a istanze che, in altre epoche, non esiteremmo a definire “esistenziali”.
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All’inizio del XIV secolo si sviluppano numerosi dibattiti filosofici che hanno lo scopo di ridefinire le strutture fondamentali del processo conoscitivo. Nozioni come imago, phantasma, phantasia, species, ereditate dalla tradizione... more
All’inizio del XIV secolo si sviluppano numerosi dibattiti filosofici che hanno lo scopo di ridefinire le strutture fondamentali del processo conoscitivo. Nozioni come imago, phantasma, phantasia, species, ereditate dalla tradizione peripatetica, sono messe in discussione e rilette alla luce di nuove ipotesi che vedono convergere differenti paradigmi di pensiero. Il De imagine (Ordinatio, liber I, dist. 3, pars 3) di Giovanni Duns Scoto costituisce un punto di vista privilegiato per rendersi conto delle proporzioni di queste discussioni, mostrando secondo differenti angolature la funzione centrale dell’immagine all’interno del processo conoscitivo. Le quattro quaestiones, in cui si articola questa parte dell’Ordinatio, si interrogano in particolare sulla natura e sull’esistenza delle species intelligibiles, sulla causalità parziale o totale dell’intelletto all’interno del processo conoscitivo, sul rapporto di priorità tra intelletto e oggetto e infine sulla possibilità che nella mente umana esista un’immagine distinta della trinità divina. L’articolata argomentazione delle proprie tesi, l’attenta critica alle opinioni altrui, le numerose auctoritates citate rendono dunque il testo di Scoto indispensabile non solo per comprendere la sua concezione gnoseologico, ma anche per osservare più complessivamente l’origine e le prospettive dei problemi filosofici che caratterizzano questa fase del pensiero tardo-medievale. In questa prospettiva, il volume non vuole essere unicamente una traduzione italiana dell’opera di Duns Scoto, bensì uno strumento adeguato per cogliere il suo modo di procedere e il contesto culturale cui si riferisce. Oltre all’introduzione, sono stati pertanto inseriti alcuni apparati critici (tavole riassuntive, note, indici), che semplificano la comprensione del testo, rendendolo particolarmente indicato per la ricerca e la didattica.
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"Scritto in ambito universitario per non disattendere le aspettative di alcuni colleghi, il De origine rerum praedicamentalium è il primo scritto di Teodorico di Freiberg, domenicano tedesco attivo all’università di Parigi tra XIII e XIV... more
"Scritto in ambito universitario per non disattendere le aspettative di alcuni colleghi, il De origine rerum praedicamentalium è il primo scritto di Teodorico di Freiberg, domenicano tedesco attivo all’università di Parigi tra XIII e XIV secolo. Pensato come un’opera da collocare nell’alveo di preesistenti discussioni peripatetiche su problemi di ontologia categoriale, il De origine diviene presupposto ineludibile di tutta la riflessione teodoriciana, in virtù dell’innovativa concezione noetica contenuta nel quinto capitolo. Richiamandosi alla tradizione arabo-aristotelica, coniugata in modo del tutto innovativo con la tradizione agostiniana, Teodorico attribuisce all’intelletto una funzione costitutiva nei confronti della realtà extramentale, formulando così una teoria di simultaneità delle cause che rende complementari creazione divina, generazione naturale e attività conoscitiva. Pur rispondendo al dibattito filosofico del suo tempo, la gnoseologia di Teodorico offre suggestioni teoriche che si estendono ben oltre i confini del Medioevo.
Oltre all’Introduzione completano il volume i consueti Apparati (Note alla traduzione, Parole chiave, Bibliografia). Il testo latino a fronte riproduce quello stabilito da L. Sturlese per l’edizione critica degli scritti di Teodorico di Freiberg contenuta nel Corpus Philosophorum Teutonicorum Medii Aevi."
Oltre all’Introduzione completano il volume i consueti Apparati (Note alla traduzione, Parole chiave, Bibliografia). Il testo latino a fronte riproduce quello stabilito da L. Sturlese per l’edizione critica degli scritti di Teodorico di Freiberg contenuta nel Corpus Philosophorum Teutonicorum Medii Aevi."
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The present volume provides the first collection of studies devoted to the so-called Lectura Thomasina, a commentary on Peter Lombard’s Sentences written by William of Peter of Godin at the beginning of the 14th century. The conspicuous... more
The present volume provides the first collection of studies devoted to the so-called Lectura Thomasina, a commentary on Peter Lombard’s Sentences written by William of Peter of Godin at the beginning of the 14th century. The conspicuous number of verbatim quotations from Thomas Aquinas’ writings makes the text very interesting: Godin does not aim at producing a mere collection of Aquinas’ dicta, but rather a sort of ‘Thomistic’ teaching handbook. A popular text, the Lectura Thomasina was fundamental to the spread of ‘Thomistic’ thought in the years leading up to his canonization. The first section of the volume is devoted to a textual analysis of the Lectura Thomasina and its sources. The second section examines certain themes in Godin’s theology and philosophy. The last section focuses on his influence on the Dominican tradition.
Contributors: F. Amerini, F. Bonini, A. Colli, W. Goris, M. Mauriege, A. Palazzo, C. Schabel, J.L. Solere, A. Speer.
Contributors: F. Amerini, F. Bonini, A. Colli, W. Goris, M. Mauriege, A. Palazzo, C. Schabel, J.L. Solere, A. Speer.
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The vast number of Albert the Great’s commentaries on the Old and New Testaments are not intended as a secondary and negligible aspect of his research activity that may be placed in the margins of the inten-sive work of commenting on the... more
The vast number of Albert the Great’s commentaries on the Old and New Testaments are not intended as a secondary and negligible aspect of his research activity that may be placed in the margins of the inten-sive work of commenting on the Aristotelian writings. Quite the contrary: his exegetical studies may provide an unusual and innovative angle for observing certain sides of his reflections. This book is an at-tempt to strengthen this conviction. From different viewpoints, the authors try to answer questions such as “What are the distinctive traits of Albert the Great’s exegetical activity?”, “What role does the Holy Scripture play in Albert the Great’s work?”, or “What is the relationship between certain philosophical concepts formulated by the Dominican master and his biblical exegesis?”.
L’esegesi biblica di Alberto Magno non può essere considerata l’aspetto secondario e marginale di un’attività di ricerca finalizzata essenzialmente a rendere Aristotele «intelligibile ai Latini». Al contrario i commenti all’Antico e al Nuovo Testamento offrono, in più di un’occasione, un’efficace chiave interpretativa per esaminare alcuni snodi fondamentali della riflessione albertina.
L’esegesi biblica di Alberto Magno non può essere considerata l’aspetto secondario e marginale di un’attività di ricerca finalizzata essenzialmente a rendere Aristotele «intelligibile ai Latini». Al contrario i commenti all’Antico e al Nuovo Testamento offrono, in più di un’occasione, un’efficace chiave interpretativa per esaminare alcuni snodi fondamentali della riflessione albertina.
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Albert the Great’s commentary on the Politics is an interesting case study for exploring the assimilation and reworking of the many practical suggestions and teachings contained in this Aristotelian text. The present study therefore... more
Albert the Great’s commentary on the Politics is an interesting case study for exploring the assimilation and reworking of the many practical suggestions and teachings contained in this Aristotelian text. The present study therefore intends to focus on Albert’s analysis of the accurate description of children’s education provided by Aristotle in the 7th and 8th books of his Politics. Two central aspects of the Aristotelian pedagogy (child nourishment and musical education) give the opportunity to make some general points about Albert’s view of soul-body relationship.
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Medieval thinkers are often seen as “accountants” engaged in a classification of all substances forming the world with their modes of duration. This image, corresponding to the approach of some 13th-century theologians, does not reflect... more
Medieval thinkers are often seen as “accountants” engaged in a classification of all substances forming the world with their modes of duration. This image, corresponding to the approach of some 13th-century theologians, does not reflect the origin of the problem. In the Patristic tradition the existence of durations beyond eternity and time is not related to an inventory of the world, but rather aimed at explaining the sequence of different stages in salvation history (from the creation to the end times). The present study considers some examples of the Patristic approach to the problem of du- ration, exploring sources and possible links with later medieval reflection on the matter.
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La distinctio prima delle Sentenze di Pietro Lombardo (Libro II) è un passaggio obbligato per ogni teologo del XIII secolo che intenda pronunciarsi sul versetto biblico In principio. Il presente lavoro si propone di presentare... more
La distinctio prima delle Sentenze di Pietro Lombardo (Libro II) è un passaggio obbligato per ogni teologo del XIII secolo che intenda pronunciarsi sul versetto biblico In principio. Il presente lavoro si propone di presentare un’edizione, basata su cinque testimoni manoscritti, della prima parte della distinctio prima del Super libros Sententiarum (Libro II) del teologo domenicano Ugo di San Cher, preceduta da una breve analisi di due motivi essenziali della sua riflessione sull’inizio del mondo: la critica agli errores della filosofia e la polemica contro il dualismo manicheo.
The distinctio prima of Peter Lombard’s Sentences (Book II) is a necessary passage for any 13th-century theologians intending to pronounce on the biblical verse In principio. This paper aims to present an edition, on the basis of five manuscript witnesses, of the first pars of the distinctio prima of Hugh of Saint Cher’s Super libros Sententiarum (Book II), preceded by a brief analysis on two essential motifs of his reflection on the beginning of the world: the critique of the errores of philosophy and the polemic against Manichean dualism.
The distinctio prima of Peter Lombard’s Sentences (Book II) is a necessary passage for any 13th-century theologians intending to pronounce on the biblical verse In principio. This paper aims to present an edition, on the basis of five manuscript witnesses, of the first pars of the distinctio prima of Hugh of Saint Cher’s Super libros Sententiarum (Book II), preceded by a brief analysis on two essential motifs of his reflection on the beginning of the world: the critique of the errores of philosophy and the polemic against Manichean dualism.
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Thirteenth-century debates on time are frequently reduced to the opposition between an Ancient tradition, embodied by Augustine, and the Aristotelian philosophy as “physicalist” reading of the problem. However, before the diffusion of the... more
Thirteenth-century debates on time are frequently reduced to the opposition between an Ancient tradition, embodied by Augustine, and the Aristotelian philosophy as “physicalist” reading of the problem. However, before the diffusion of the Latin translation of Aristotle’s Physics, notions such as ‘time’, ‘eternity’, ‘aevum’, and ‘present’ have a rich range of meanings and nuances which cannot be considered a mere repetition of an ‘Augustinian model’. A systematic analysis of selected passages of Marius Victorinus’ Explanationes in Ciceronis Rhetoricam provides a representative example of this complexity, making available new conceptual material to reconstruct the sources of the medieval discussions about time and durations.
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An in-depth analysis of all manuscripts preserving the second book of the Lectura Thomasina of the Dominican theologian William of Peter of Godin (†1336) reveals significant variants in Vienna manuscript (Österreichische... more
An in-depth analysis of all manuscripts preserving the second book of the Lectura Thomasina of the Dominican theologian William of Peter of Godin (†1336) reveals significant variants in Vienna manuscript (Österreichische Nationalbibliothek ms. 1590). In particular, the first question turns out to be different from the others: whereas all other manuscripts have circa primam distinctionem secundi libri quaeritur primo utrum mundus possit fuisse ab aeterno, the copyist of Vienna writes quaestio prima est utrum essentiae rerum creatarum sint ab aeterno. By comparing these two texts from different points of view, the study attempts to establish whether William of Peter of Godin is effectively the author of the text copied in the Vienna manuscript and whether this text can be included in the Lectura Thomasina’s manuscript tradition as alternative redaction.
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The Lectura Thomasina Thomas Aquinas' thought in the Dominican theological schools between the end of the 13 th cen-th century. By combining the typical structure of a commentary on the Sentences with a long series of quotations from... more
The Lectura Thomasina Thomas Aquinas' thought in the Dominican theological schools between the end of the 13 th cen-th century. By combining the typical structure of a commentary on the Sentences with a long series of quotations from Aquinas' writings, Godin composes an original teaching compendium (still unpublished), which offered a key to understanding the analysis of the question Utrum omnium hominum sit unus intellectus possibilis (II, dist. 16, q. 1), the present study aims to provide a very representative example of this working strategy, by wide-ranging discussions on the unity of the intellect at the beginning of the 14 th century.
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Political reflection plays a crucial role within Albert the Great’s thought. But the question remains as to whether an effective set of Albert’s political doctri- nes can be defined. The restricted number of studies on this particular... more
Political reflection plays a crucial role within Albert the Great’s thought. But the question remains as to whether an effective set of Albert’s political doctri- nes can be defined. The restricted number of studies on this particular aspect of Albert’s reflection does not seem to provide any precise answers to these specific questions. This article intends to focus on a circumscribed (but thorny) problem within the framework of such a vaste subject. Through a diachronic investigation of his treatises, I intend to display which virtues, apti- tudes, actions seem to qualify – according to Albert – a “good politician”.
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In many respects, the adjective “noble” plays a signi cant role in Ulrich of Strasbourg’s De summo bono. It de nes contemplative happiness and philosophical wis- dom, and delineates a remarkable character of the intellect (human and... more
In many respects, the adjective “noble” plays a signi cant role in Ulrich of Strasbourg’s De summo bono. It de nes contemplative happiness and philosophical wis- dom, and delineates a remarkable character of the intellect (human and divine). In ex- amining some signi cant occurrences of the term, I intend to focus my attention on its theoretical meaning and on the sources which have in uenced its use. In this way, I will demonstrate that “nobility” is a necessary, key factor for investigating what the real plea- sure of knowledge consists in for Ulrich.
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In De trinitate, IX, 12, 18, Augustine defines knowledge as a cogeneratio between cognoscens and cognitum, then he remarks that ab utroque notitia paritur. This paper aims at pointing out the reception of this atypical Augustinian topic... more
In De trinitate, IX, 12, 18, Augustine defines knowledge as a cogeneratio between cognoscens and cognitum, then he remarks that ab utroque notitia paritur. This paper aims at pointing out the reception of this atypical Augustinian topic in the 13th century, by considering its use in the writings of Henry of Ghent, Matthew of Aquasparta and Duns Scotus. What this study reveals is not only many different possible readings of a particular Augustinian notion, but also the influence of De trinitate on the 13th century theories of knowledge and its relationship with other philosophical traditions.
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The analysis and study of Albert the great’s Commentarium in octo libros Politicorum Aristotelis appear problematic for various reasons. A modern critical edition of the text is lacking; due to its style, it is difficult to distinguish... more
The analysis and study of Albert the great’s Commentarium in octo libros Politicorum Aristotelis appear problematic for various reasons. A modern critical edition of the text is lacking; due to its style, it is difficult to distinguish Albert’s opinion from Aristotle’s position, and the frequent erroneous explanations by the dominican theologian demand caution. this paper intends to suggest a methodological strategy to overcome these obstacles: by exploring Albert’s assimilation and transformation of some keywords of Aristotle’s political vocabulary (cives, crimatistica, murus), we are able to observe the metamorphosis of Aristotle’s political thought in Albert’s reflection. Insights achieved from such examination allow us to determine whether there is such an Albertinian model of society and, if so, which are its distinctive characteristics.
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After drawing a map of all the commentaries on the ‘Sentences’, preserved in the monumental domus pro libraria of St. Dominic’s Convent of Bologna in the 14th century, the present paper focuses on two particular case studies: the... more
After drawing a map of all the commentaries on the ‘Sentences’, preserved in the monumental domus pro libraria of St. Dominic’s Convent of Bologna in the 14th century, the present paper focuses on two particular case studies: the manuscripts A 913 (Bologna, Archiginnasio Library) and A 986 (Bologna, Archiginnasio Library). The analysis will provide an explanatory illustration of how the convent is actively and directly involved in several theological and philosophical discussions characterizing the Parisian milieu in the first decades of the 14th century. Then, the library does not only reflect the geographical diffusion of texts, but also the concrete influence of some doctrines on the late medieval educational activity.
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The present paper intends to conduct a pilot study on the source of Albert the Great’s Commentary on Aristotle’s Politics, by focusing on the function played by the biblical references. In general, the Dominican theologian is reluctant to... more
The present paper intends to conduct a pilot study on the source of Albert the Great’s Commentary on Aristotle’s Politics, by focusing on the function played by the biblical references. In general, the Dominican theologian is reluctant to use quotations from the Holy Scriptures to comment on Aristotelian treatises and, as is well known, this particular approach is a declared methodological choice. The Commentarium in octo libros Politicorum Aristotelis, however, is a significant exception. After providing a preliminary overview of the explicit and implicit quotations from the Old and New Testament contained in this commentary, the study attempts to circumscribe some uses of biblical quotations within the historical examples and the moral teachings provided by Aristotle.
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Nel Prologo dell’Itinerarium mentis in Deum, Bonaventura da Bagnoregio descrive la condizione di vir desideriorum come necessaria per poter intraprendere il cammino verso Dio. Lo stretto legame tra la definizione di uomo e il concetto di... more
Nel Prologo dell’Itinerarium mentis in Deum, Bonaventura da Bagnoregio descrive la condizione di vir desideriorum come necessaria per poter intraprendere il cammino verso Dio. Lo stretto legame tra la definizione di uomo e il concetto di desiderio affonda le sue radici in alcune osservazioni contenute nel Commento alle Sentenze, dove il teologo francescano non solo presenta la dinamica desiderativa come dimensione costitutiva degli esseri umani, ma – ricorrendo frequentemente alla tradizione peripatetica – descrive l’intero creato come insieme di processi appetitivi. Il presente studio intende mettere a fuoco quelle che sono le principali somiglianze e differenze tra le forme desiderative che caratterizzano il mondo vegetale, animale e l’uomo, facendo altresì chiarezza su quadro delle fonti che possono aver influenzato il modo di procedere di Bonaventura.
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The Lectura Thomasina of William of Peter of Godin († 1326) typifies the transmission of Thomas Aquinas' thought in the Dominican theological schools of the period between his death and his canonization. By combining the typical structure... more
The Lectura Thomasina of William of Peter of Godin († 1326) typifies the transmission of Thomas Aquinas' thought in the Dominican theological schools of the period between his death and his canonization. By combining the typical structure of a commentary on the Sentences with a long series of verbatim quotations from Aquinas, Godin publishes a teaching compendium , which offered a key to understanding the reception and the assimilation of some disputed Thomistic doctrines between the end of the 13 th century and the first decades of the 14 th century. Through a broad overview of the different forms of Aquinas quotations provided in Godin's text, my study aims at classifying some of the different practices of reporting and transmitting the Thomistic dicta, in order to paint a concrete picture of the embryonic stage of »Thomism«.
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In De anima, III, 5 (430a18-19) Aristotle describes the agent intellect as «separated» (χωριστος), «impassible» (απαθης), and «unmixed» (αμιγης). In order to distinguish it from the passive intellect, he adds that the agent intellect is... more
In De anima, III, 5 (430a18-19) Aristotle describes the agent intellect as «separated» (χωριστος), «impassible» (απαθης), and «unmixed» (αμιγης). In order to distinguish it from the passive intellect, he adds that the agent intellect is «in its essential nature [an] activity» (τῇ ψυχῇ ουσιᾳ ὤν ενεργεια). Then he remarks that «for that which is active is always nobler than that which is passive» (αεὶ γαρ τιμιωτερον τὸ ποιουν τοῦ πασχοντος). In this way Aristotle does not claim a vague superiority of the active to the passive, but he uses the adjective «noble» or «honorable». But what he means exactly by τὶμιος is not completely clear. The Latin translators of Aristotle’s De anima James of Venice, William of Moerbeke, and Michael Scot (in his Latin version of Averroes’ Commentary) propose two different translations of the adjective τιμιος: honorabilis and nobilis. The first (honorabilius) is certainly more faithful to the Greek etymology that means «to honor the gods» (τιμαω). By contrast, Michael’s Scot translation (nobilius) – that converts the Arabic word sharif – is probably less precise, though it was more influential in 13th century writings.
One of the most significant aspect about the reception of this Aristotelian sentence is that is frequently mentioned through a passage from Augustine’s De Genesi ad litteram, XII, 16.33 wherein Augustine argues that the spiritus is superior (praestantior) than corpus. According to many 13th-century authors, the relationship between this Augustinian concept and Aristotle’s De anima 430a 18-19 is obvious. Hence the adjective «superior» can be considered as synonymous with «noble» and, in many cases – for example in Alexander of Hales, Albert the Great or in Thomas Aquinas – the Aristotelian sentence is even rewritten through Augustine’s lexicon. However it is a remarkable pairing because, particularly during the second half of the 13th-century, Aristotle’s and Augustine’s psychology were generally considered to be incompatible. Furthermore it is to stress that Augustine makes a complete outline of the mind-body relationship, whereas Aristotle pinpoints only the connection between the agent and the possible intellect. These notable ambiguities seem to be ignored during the 13th century, but it is not plausible that so-numerous interpreters of Aristotle’s psychology did not perceive these radical differences between the Aristotelian and the Augustinian positions. Therefore we must suppose that either their work was only a conventional effort to find an agreement between the new translations of Aristotle’s writings and the «Ancient» Christian authority, or rather a theoretical choice to offer an interpretation of Aristotle’s nobilitas.
The aim of my contribution is examine some cases of this compared use of Augustine and Aristotle, in order to offer an example of the crucial function of the authority as hermeneutical-key not only to assimilate, but also to rewrite a text derived from another philosophical tradition.
One of the most significant aspect about the reception of this Aristotelian sentence is that is frequently mentioned through a passage from Augustine’s De Genesi ad litteram, XII, 16.33 wherein Augustine argues that the spiritus is superior (praestantior) than corpus. According to many 13th-century authors, the relationship between this Augustinian concept and Aristotle’s De anima 430a 18-19 is obvious. Hence the adjective «superior» can be considered as synonymous with «noble» and, in many cases – for example in Alexander of Hales, Albert the Great or in Thomas Aquinas – the Aristotelian sentence is even rewritten through Augustine’s lexicon. However it is a remarkable pairing because, particularly during the second half of the 13th-century, Aristotle’s and Augustine’s psychology were generally considered to be incompatible. Furthermore it is to stress that Augustine makes a complete outline of the mind-body relationship, whereas Aristotle pinpoints only the connection between the agent and the possible intellect. These notable ambiguities seem to be ignored during the 13th century, but it is not plausible that so-numerous interpreters of Aristotle’s psychology did not perceive these radical differences between the Aristotelian and the Augustinian positions. Therefore we must suppose that either their work was only a conventional effort to find an agreement between the new translations of Aristotle’s writings and the «Ancient» Christian authority, or rather a theoretical choice to offer an interpretation of Aristotle’s nobilitas.
The aim of my contribution is examine some cases of this compared use of Augustine and Aristotle, in order to offer an example of the crucial function of the authority as hermeneutical-key not only to assimilate, but also to rewrite a text derived from another philosophical tradition.
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Boethius’ definition of eternity as “to embrace and possess at once the whole fullness of unending life” is a cornerstone of medieval discussions on the different duration modes. There are several studies focusing on its meaning and its... more
Boethius’ definition of eternity as “to embrace and possess at once the whole fullness of unending life” is a cornerstone of medieval discussions on the different duration modes. There are several studies focusing on its meaning and its fortune. As the ear- liest commentary on ‘Philosophiae Consolatio’, the Remigian ‘Glosses’ (9th–10th c.) are usually considered to be the first example of medieval reception of Boethius’ idea of eternity. A study by Claudio Micaelli, however, has pointed out references to Boethian writings, including verbatim quotations of the definition mentioned above, in the writings of the Carolingian scholar Paschasius Radbertus (8th–9th c.). The philosophical function of these quotations, as partially examined by Micaelli, needs to be considered in more detail, as their usage reveals an interesting understanding of the concept of eternity in close relationship to prophetic knowledge. The present paper aims at exploring this interpretation. For this purpose, I will firstly provide an overview on the quotations at issue (1); secondly, I will take into consideration some aspects characterizing Paschasius’ idea of prophecy (2 and 3). I will conclude with some remarks about the possible posterity of this reading.
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Censures, condemnations, and corrections animated the speculative debate around Thomas Aquinas’ writings between the end of the 13th and the first decades of the 14th century. The Condemnation of 1277 in Paris, the severe censure promoted... more
Censures, condemnations, and corrections animated the speculative debate around Thomas Aquinas’ writings between the end of the 13th and the first decades of the 14th century. The Condemnation of 1277 in Paris, the severe censure promoted by the Archbishop of Canterbury John Peckham, and the two versions of the Correctorium fratris Thomae written by the Franciscan master William de la Mare clearly reveal the hard line adopted by the ecclesiastic institutions and the Franciscan school for limiting the teaching and the diffusion of some of Aquinas’ theories. By contrast, the vast majority of the Dominican theologians strived constantly to support and endorse the most discussed and unconventional theses of their master. The four versions of the Correctoria corruptorii and Rambert of Primadizzi’s Apologeticum veritatis certainly represent the most considerable and notorioussuccessful attempt to respond to this great deal of criticism is represented by the set of Commentaries on the Sentences composed by the French Dominican theologians between Aquinas’ death and his canonization. The Lectura Thomasina of William of Peter of Godin († 1326) typifies clearly this transition of Thomas’ thought from the condemnations to the schools. The text, still unpublished, is divided into four books and follows the subdivision in distinc- tiones adopted by any other Commentary on the Sentences. However, the conspicuous number of word-for-word quotations not only from Aquinas’ Super Sententiarum, but also from his Summa Theologiae, Summa contra Gentiles, De aeternitate mundi, Quaestiones de veritate, makes the Lectura an unique case study at the time. In fact, by demonstrating an unrivalled knowledge of Aquinas’ thought, especially when he reconstruct and defend some controversial and debated contents of the philosophy of his master, William does not aim to write a mere collections of Thomas’ dicta, but rather an original teaching compendium. Over the years, the text became a sort of authorized handbook for students, which sometimes replaced the direct lecture of Aquinas’ works.
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Dietrich’s of Freiberg De habitibus can be considered a significant treatise for understanding some relevant philosophical points of his thought. Here it is evident the crucial relationship among the cosmology, the metaphysic and the... more
Dietrich’s of Freiberg De habitibus can be considered a significant treatise for understanding some relevant philosophical points of his thought. Here it is evident the crucial relationship among the cosmology, the metaphysic and the description of the gnoseological processes, which delineates the notion of nature as an universum entium. The critical edition does not offer any particular suggestions about the sources and the philosophical tradition that have influenced Dietrich’s argumentation. By contrast my study highlights the crucial function of the Avicennian thought and in some cases the suggestive analogies between Dietrich and some of his contemporaries, in particular some Franciscan masters.
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“People today want to know about Eckhart. Many, using the language of advertising, consider him ‘in’” (p. 158), as his writings seem to be a mystical invitation “to escape the hectic pace of the present life in an industrial society” (p.... more
“People today want to know about Eckhart. Many, using the language of advertising, consider him ‘in’” (p. 158), as his writings seem to be a mystical invitation “to escape the hectic pace of the present life in an industrial society” (p. 158); Eckhart is thus habitually used as remedy for the diseases of the present. Kurt Flasch, a distinguished scholar of medieval studies, conceives his book in opposition to this tendency by shaping the contours of a historical and philosophical Eckhart, since “like all arguments and texts, Eckhart’s are grounded in his life and times” (p. XIII)...
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16.-18. Februar 2017, Köln (Deutschland): Universität zu Köln. Organized within the context of Horizon 2020 Marie Curie Skłodowska Action “TEACHPOL: Freedom of Teaching and Political Control: The Case of Thomas Aquinas’ Assimilation in... more
16.-18. Februar 2017, Köln (Deutschland): Universität zu Köln. Organized within the context of Horizon 2020 Marie Curie Skłodowska Action “TEACHPOL: Freedom of Teaching and Political Control: The Case of Thomas Aquinas’ Assimilation in William of Peter of Godin’s Lectura Thomasina (14th C.)”, submitted by Andrea Colli to the European Commis- sion CORDIS. Scientific Committee: Francesca Bonini (Köln-Lecce), An- drea Colli (Köln), Maxime Mauriège (Köln), Alessandro Palazzo (Trento), Andreas Speer (Köln) and Loris Sturlese (Lecce)
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4-5 ottobre 2013, Trento (Italia): Universitàdegli Studi di Trento. Organized within the context of Programma di Ricerca di Interesse Nazionale (PRIN 2009): "Scritti albertisti e tomisti tra XIII e XIV secolo. Il De summo bono di Ulrico... more
4-5 ottobre 2013, Trento (Italia): Universitàdegli Studi di Trento. Organized within the context of Programma di Ricerca di Interesse Nazionale (PRIN 2009): "Scritti albertisti e tomisti tra XIII e XIV secolo. Il De summo bono di Ulrico di Strasburgo e la Lectura Thomasina di Guglielmo di Pietro di Godino: edizione critica e studio dottrinale. Organizers: Alessandro PALAZZO, Andrea COLLI.
Research Interests: Desire and Middle Ages
9-10 maggio 2014, Trento (Italia): Università degli Studi di Trento. Organized within the context of the research-project: Provincia Autonoma di Trento «Bando post-doc 2011» (L.P. 2 Agosto 2005, N.14 art. 22). Organizers: Andrea COLLI,... more
9-10 maggio 2014, Trento (Italia): Università degli Studi di Trento. Organized within the context of the research-project: Provincia Autonoma di Trento «Bando post-doc 2011» (L.P. 2 Agosto 2005, N.14 art. 22). Organizers: Andrea COLLI, Alessandro PALAZZO and Irene ZAVATTERO (Trento).
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Nel prologo di una delle sue opere più famose, l'Itinerarium mentis in Deum, Bonaventura da Bagnoregio descrive la condizione di vir desideriorum come necessaria per poter intraprendere il cammino verso Dio. Lo stretto legame tra la... more
Nel prologo di una delle sue opere più famose, l'Itinerarium mentis in Deum, Bonaventura da Bagnoregio descrive la condizione di vir desideriorum come necessaria per poter intraprendere il cammino verso Dio. Lo stretto legame tra la definizione di uomo e il concetto di desiderio affonda le sue radici in alcune osservazioni contenute nel Commento alle Sentenze, dove il teologo francescano non solo presenta la dinamica desiderativa come dimensione costitutiva degli esseri umani, ma descrive l'intero creato come insieme di processi appetitivi.
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Die Behandlung der Vorgängerpositionen erstreckt sich über einen Großteil der Kapitel zwei bis fünf der ersten Buches von De anima. Aristoteles betrachtet die Diskussion der Thesen seiner Vorgängern als eine wichtige Voraussetzung, um den... more
Die Behandlung der Vorgängerpositionen erstreckt sich über einen Großteil der Kapitel zwei bis fünf der ersten Buches von De anima. Aristoteles betrachtet die Diskussion der Thesen seiner Vorgängern als eine wichtige Voraussetzung, um den Gegenstand seiner Untersuchung zu spezifizieren. Bei Thomas von Aquin funktioniert ungefähr genauso: in seinen verschiedenen Analysen des Leib-Seele-Problems bestimmt er die Definition und die Eigenschaften der menschlichen Seele erst durch eine Kritik der früheren Positionen. Hier sind aber zwei Stufen der Diskussion der Vorgängerpositionen zu betrachten: einerseits greift Thomas die aristotelische Rekonstruktion der vorsokratischen und platonischen Thesen auf, anderseits diskutiert er genau die Ansichten Aristoteles’ (zusammen mit dem Kommentar des Averroes).
In den Schriften zu diesem Thema, die zwischen Thomas’ Tod (1274) und seiner Heiligsprechung (1323) von den Dominikanertheologen verfasst wurden, wird die doxographische Sammlung ferner kompliziert. Unter den Vorgängerpositionen befinden sich nämlich die Thesen von aliqui antiqui nach der Darstellung von Aristoteles, die Position des Philosophus in der Auslegung des Thomas von Aquin und dann die eigentliche Seelentheorie des magister Thomas. Deshalb muss man fragen ob die Doxographie hier dieselbe Funktion wie in den vorigen Beispiele hat. Mit anderen Worten: ist es Ziel der Diskussion der Vorgängerpositionen, neue Lösungen für das Leib-Seele-Problem anzubieten oder einfach eine unkritische Liste der Ansichten zu geben?
Auf der Grundlage der kritischen Edition und der Transkription ausgewählter Quästionen der Sentenzenkommentaren, in denen die französischen Dominikanertheologen Wilhelm Petrus von Godino (†1336) und Petrus de Palude (†1342) das Problem der Definition der menschlichen Seele vorstehen, möchte ich einige konkrete Beispiele bieten, um diese Fragen beantworten.
In den Schriften zu diesem Thema, die zwischen Thomas’ Tod (1274) und seiner Heiligsprechung (1323) von den Dominikanertheologen verfasst wurden, wird die doxographische Sammlung ferner kompliziert. Unter den Vorgängerpositionen befinden sich nämlich die Thesen von aliqui antiqui nach der Darstellung von Aristoteles, die Position des Philosophus in der Auslegung des Thomas von Aquin und dann die eigentliche Seelentheorie des magister Thomas. Deshalb muss man fragen ob die Doxographie hier dieselbe Funktion wie in den vorigen Beispiele hat. Mit anderen Worten: ist es Ziel der Diskussion der Vorgängerpositionen, neue Lösungen für das Leib-Seele-Problem anzubieten oder einfach eine unkritische Liste der Ansichten zu geben?
Auf der Grundlage der kritischen Edition und der Transkription ausgewählter Quästionen der Sentenzenkommentaren, in denen die französischen Dominikanertheologen Wilhelm Petrus von Godino (†1336) und Petrus de Palude (†1342) das Problem der Definition der menschlichen Seele vorstehen, möchte ich einige konkrete Beispiele bieten, um diese Fragen beantworten.
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Il convegno internazionale Filosofia e traduzione. Forme ed edizioni della traduzione filosofica indaga il rapporto tra la filosofia e le sue forme di traduzione da un punto di vista ermeneutico, estetico e storico- filosofico. Il... more
Il convegno internazionale Filosofia e traduzione. Forme ed edizioni della traduzione filosofica indaga il rapporto tra la filosofia e le sue forme di traduzione da un punto di vista ermeneutico, estetico e storico- filosofico. Il convegno si concentra sul rapporto tra i generi della scrittura filosofica e i molteplici modi del tradurre muovendo da una prospettiva speculativa (la traduzione come problema della filosofia) e sperimentale (tradurre la filosofia), che fa della traduzione un oggetto di riflessione teorica e una pratica indispensabile al filosofare. La storia della filosofia può essere considerata essa stessa una translatio o un confronto fra universi di pensiero e sistemi filosofici, di cui sonda le potenzialità e i limiti, in un esercizio continuo di traduzione fra lingue e culture diverse che concorrono alla costruzione del discorso pubblico europeo, oggi più che mai all’insegna del motto: plus d’une langue.
Saranno invitati a partecipare ai lavori del convegno traduttori, curatori di edizioni critiche e studiosi che si sono occupati del problema della traduzione filosofica in termini teorici. Gli interventi prenderanno prevalentemente in esame due questioni: il tema della traduzione come banco di prova del pensiero che chiama in causa il rapporto tra i diversi generi della scrittura e del discorso filosofico, la relativa autonomia della traduzione filosofica come momento costitutivo del filosofare. In tal senso gli interventi potranno concentrarsi su case-studies specifici, mutuando anche dalle esperienze di traduzione e curatela dei relatori. Il convegno intende dunque costituire un momento di riflessione al crocevia tra laboratorio e fucina di pensiero.
The international conference Philosophy and Translation. Forms and Editions of Philosophical Translation investigates the relationship between philosophy and its forms of translation from a hermeneutic, aesthetic and philosophical-historical perspective. The conference focuses on the relationship between the genres of philosophical writing and the multiple modes of translation from a speculative (translation as a problem of philosophy) and experimental (translating philosophy) perspective, which makes translation an object of theoretical reflection and an indispensable practice of philosophizing. The history of philosophy can itself be considered a translatio or a confrontation between universes of thought and philosophical systems, whose potentialities and limits it explores in an ongoing exercise of translating between different languages and cultures that contribute to the construction of the European public discourse, today more than ever under the motto: plus d’une langue.
Translators, editors of critical editions and scholars who have addressed the problem of philosophical translation in theoretical terms will be invited to participate in the conference. The papers will focus mainly on two issues: the concept of translation as a testing ground for thought that calls into question the relationship between different kinds of writing and philosophical discourse, and the relative autonomy of philosophical translation as a constitutive moment of philosophizing. In this sense, the papers may focus on specific case-studies, also drawing on the speakers’ experiences of translation and editing. The conference is thus intended to be a moment of reflection at the crossroads between laboratory and research group.
Saranno invitati a partecipare ai lavori del convegno traduttori, curatori di edizioni critiche e studiosi che si sono occupati del problema della traduzione filosofica in termini teorici. Gli interventi prenderanno prevalentemente in esame due questioni: il tema della traduzione come banco di prova del pensiero che chiama in causa il rapporto tra i diversi generi della scrittura e del discorso filosofico, la relativa autonomia della traduzione filosofica come momento costitutivo del filosofare. In tal senso gli interventi potranno concentrarsi su case-studies specifici, mutuando anche dalle esperienze di traduzione e curatela dei relatori. Il convegno intende dunque costituire un momento di riflessione al crocevia tra laboratorio e fucina di pensiero.
The international conference Philosophy and Translation. Forms and Editions of Philosophical Translation investigates the relationship between philosophy and its forms of translation from a hermeneutic, aesthetic and philosophical-historical perspective. The conference focuses on the relationship between the genres of philosophical writing and the multiple modes of translation from a speculative (translation as a problem of philosophy) and experimental (translating philosophy) perspective, which makes translation an object of theoretical reflection and an indispensable practice of philosophizing. The history of philosophy can itself be considered a translatio or a confrontation between universes of thought and philosophical systems, whose potentialities and limits it explores in an ongoing exercise of translating between different languages and cultures that contribute to the construction of the European public discourse, today more than ever under the motto: plus d’une langue.
Translators, editors of critical editions and scholars who have addressed the problem of philosophical translation in theoretical terms will be invited to participate in the conference. The papers will focus mainly on two issues: the concept of translation as a testing ground for thought that calls into question the relationship between different kinds of writing and philosophical discourse, and the relative autonomy of philosophical translation as a constitutive moment of philosophizing. In this sense, the papers may focus on specific case-studies, also drawing on the speakers’ experiences of translation and editing. The conference is thus intended to be a moment of reflection at the crossroads between laboratory and research group.
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Condemnations, censures, and corrections animated the academic debates around several speculative problems between the 13th and 14th centuries. The bases for these intricate antagonisms were surely philosophical or theological... more
Condemnations, censures, and corrections animated the academic debates around several speculative problems between the 13th and 14th centuries. The bases for these intricate antagonisms were surely philosophical or theological divergences, but also prejudices and political struggles. Then, a multifaceted process, characterized by a dialectic tension between a desired freedom of teaching and monitoring processes, influenced teaching and learning activities in the late medieval schools and universities. Accordingly, a significant number of commentaries, handbooks, and treatises for the schools was edited in order to revise and to be able to use condemned theses and doctrines for teaching activities.
William of Peter of Godin (c.1260-1336), a “leading figure within the Dominican Order” (Martin Grabmann), was one of the main exponents in this debate. Besides his status as an appreciated theologian at the University of Paris, William was Master of Sacred Palace and Papal legate. Therefore, his works should be seen as an attempt to amalgamate speculative contents, political pressures, and religious convictions. In particular, his Commentary on the Sentences, the Lectura Thomasina, written around 1300, is a paradigmatic example of rectification and adaptation of philosophical and theological theses in relation to school curricula programs. In fact, by harmonizing doctrines which Thomas Aquinas asserted in his early writings with positions assumed at the end of his life, William does not aim to write a mere collection of Thomas’ dicta, but rather a teaching compendium in line with the educational policies, yet true to Thomas’ intentions. Over the years, the text became a sort of authorized handbook for students and in the Dominican schools, but frequently in other universitary institutions, the Lectura replaced the direct lecture of Aquinas’ texts, until it came to represent a primary approach to his thought.
The conference intends to explore the speculative and political function assumed by the condemnations, corrections and censures in teaching and learning theological and philosophical doctrines in the late medieval universities and schools. Then, by assuming the Lectura Thomasina as typical example, the debate will focus on the connections between the promulgation of innovative ideas and their assumption and teaching in the educational context.
William of Peter of Godin (c.1260-1336), a “leading figure within the Dominican Order” (Martin Grabmann), was one of the main exponents in this debate. Besides his status as an appreciated theologian at the University of Paris, William was Master of Sacred Palace and Papal legate. Therefore, his works should be seen as an attempt to amalgamate speculative contents, political pressures, and religious convictions. In particular, his Commentary on the Sentences, the Lectura Thomasina, written around 1300, is a paradigmatic example of rectification and adaptation of philosophical and theological theses in relation to school curricula programs. In fact, by harmonizing doctrines which Thomas Aquinas asserted in his early writings with positions assumed at the end of his life, William does not aim to write a mere collection of Thomas’ dicta, but rather a teaching compendium in line with the educational policies, yet true to Thomas’ intentions. Over the years, the text became a sort of authorized handbook for students and in the Dominican schools, but frequently in other universitary institutions, the Lectura replaced the direct lecture of Aquinas’ texts, until it came to represent a primary approach to his thought.
The conference intends to explore the speculative and political function assumed by the condemnations, corrections and censures in teaching and learning theological and philosophical doctrines in the late medieval universities and schools. Then, by assuming the Lectura Thomasina as typical example, the debate will focus on the connections between the promulgation of innovative ideas and their assumption and teaching in the educational context.