Robert Grosseteste (Great Medieval Thinkers) [Hardcover]

James McEvoy (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0195114493 | ISBN-13: 978-0195114492 | Publication Date: September 21, 2000

Robert Grosseteste (c 1168-1253) was the initiator of the English scientific tradition, one of the first chancellors of Oxford University, and a famous teacher and commentator on the newly discovered works of Aristotle. In this book, James McEvoy provides the first general, inclusive overview of the entire range of Grosseteste's massive intellectual achievement.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Professor McEvoy has spent many years studying the writings of Robert Grosseteste and his depth of knowledge is evident throughout this book. As an introduction to the life and work of one of the most fascinating of medieval Englishmen, this can be thoroughly recommended. Lincolnshire History & Archaeology The publication of James McEvoy's new biography, in the Oxford series Great Medieval Thinkers provides a timely opportunity to take a fresh look at the life and writings of this medieval scholar and bishop. Lincolnshire History and Archaeology McEvoy's book will remind us that Grosseteste's was an eloquent and respected voice for a broad mainstream of scholasticism in its early thirteenth-century instantiation. Catholic Historical Review ... McEvoy deserves praise for making such good sense of Grosseteste's place in the context of his times. Catholic Historical Review ... followers of the history of philosophy will make up a good part of the audience for McEvoy's book. So it is fortunate that chapter 6, on Grosseteste's philosophy, is skillfully crafted, particularly in its first two parts, and that the account of Grosseteste's use of Aristotelian epistemology is so lucid and perceptive. Catholic Historical Review James McEvoy surely knows Robert Grosseteste better than anyone has since the thirteenth century. Which makes McEvoy the natural choice to write the volume on Grosseteste in the new Oxford series, "Great Medieval Thinkers". Fully up to expectations, he has produced a splendid book, the best single piece on the great English scholastic to appear to date. Catholic Historical Review This is an excellent introduction to the significant philosophical work of a somewhat neglected early Oxford master. Easily readable while scholarly significant, this book is a fine contribution to a fine series on medieval writers. Speculum

About the Author

James McEvoy, Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy, National University of Ireland, Maynooth.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (September 21, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195114493
• ISBN-13: 978-0195114492
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,593,651 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A scholarly introduction to Grosseteste, April 9, 2004

By 

L. J. McKinnon "Christian Platonist" (Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Robert Grosseteste (Great Medieval Thinkers) (Paperback)

McEvoy's volume on Grossesteste is a scholarly, thorough and balanced account of this great medieval thinker. If, like me, you are more interested in Grosseteste the philosopher and natural scientist you may find this book a little disapointing as its main focus seems to be on Grosseteste the ecclesiastic. It should not be forgotten, however, that this distant father of the scientific revolution was also the Bishop of Lincoln as well as a devout Christian scholar, and any book on this man that does not cover these aspects of his life thoroughly would unfairly misrepresent him. In general I found McEvoy's account of Grosseteste's life and thought to be a balanced and solid presentation of the life of this seminal thinker of the Middle Ages. I would recommend this book both to serious scholars and the interested "general reader."

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fine introduction to Grosseteste, March 13, 2007

By 

Greg (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Robert Grosseteste (Great Medieval Thinkers) (Hardcover)

Robert Grosseteste was one of the most interesting philosopher-theologians writing towards the close of the golden age of Scholasticism. Like many Scholastics before him, this philosopher attempted to reconcile the truths of faith with those of reason.

This book highlights several aspects of Grosseteste's ideas, his career and life, and his theology.

Perhaps the most interesting and relevant idea of Grosseteste was his 'metaphysics of light.' Possibly influenced by earlier Christian thinkers such as Pseudo-Denys, Eriugena, and Maximus Confessor, Grosseteste regarded creation as a sort of 'light' through which God has shared his own inaccessible light, which is his transcendant being. Grosseteste, in some beautiful bible commentaries, remarks how light is the most noble of all created things because it is most like God, who is the metaphysical light of all things.

Grosseteste helped lay the foundations of modern science by actively exploring creation and sidelining the decaying structure of medieval scholasticism, and like some other thinkers, felt there was no division between the truths of faith and those to be found in the modern world.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Survey out there on Grosseteste!, August 4, 2006

By 

D. Horan "Franciscan Friar" (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Robert Grosseteste (Great Medieval Thinkers) (Paperback)

Having read through Southern, McEvoy's other works and Ginther's most recent publication, all of which are truly splendid works of the academy, I must say that this is one of the most concise, yet detailed, presentation of Grosseteste's life and works. While not an academic presentation of primary sources, McEvoy does include some primary works in the appendix.

I have to say, the "Great Medieval Thinkers" series from Oxford has been one of the greatest series of medieval thinkers that I have seen in some time - I have not been disappointed yet. McEvoy's work on Grosseteste has been my favorite of the series so far in that it seems to be the most approachable while at the same time it remains appropriately scholarly.

This is a read for both the aspiring philosopher/theologian/medievalist as well as the trained academic!