The Cambridge Companion to Medieval Philosophy (Cambridge Companions to Philosophy) (Hardcover)

by A. S. McGrade (Editor)
Key Phrases: material intellect, accidental necessity argument, eudaimonist principle, Middle Ages, Thomas Aquinas, Henry of Ghent (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"This book must be considered a very helpful companion, resulting from the contributors' hard work. The high level of the presentation of individual medieval philosophers--and of medieval thought in general--shows that each contributor has mastered their subject and put substantial work into the book. I believe that this volume has provided the opportunity to show the brilliance of that work, which sometimes remains anonymous, without compensation or social acknowledgment."
-Francisco Bertelloni, The Medieval Review

"Given its cast of contributors, The Cambridge Companion to Medieval Philosophy ought to be quite a good book, and it is: it succeeds in being both balanced and substantive."
-Mary Sirridge, Louisiana State University

"Seldom has a scholar had a more productive retirement[...]McGrade has assembled for his volume an array of authorities from both sides of the Atlantic and issued his assignment according to a combination of historical and thematic approaches."
-R. James Long, Fairfield University, The Thomist

Product Description
Spanning a millennium of thought extending from Augustine to Thomas Aquinas and beyond, this volume takes its readers into one of the most exciting periods in the history of philosophy. It includes not only the thinkers of the Latin West but also the profound contributions of Islamic and Jewish philosophers such as Avicenna and Maimonides. Leading specialists examine what it was like to study philosophy in the cultures and institutions of the Middle Ages. Supplementary material includes chronological charts and biographies of the major thinkers.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 424 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (September 8, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521806038
• ISBN-13: 978-0521806039
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,687,728 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Light your way through the main topics , December 2, 2006

By	C. C. Estuardo "Tiger Tail" (Guatemala) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Cambridge Companion to Medieval Philosophy (Cambridge Companions to Philosophy) (Paperback)

I bought this book to help me get through a St. Thomas Aquinas course. Medieval thinking is so wide that often you need a guide not to get lost in the sea of authors and information about it. That's why this book (as the title announces), divided in chapters that try to pinpoint the main subjetcs that were treated during the medieval period, is an excellent companion for a medieval course.
On the other hand, the great medieval thinkers are not examined thoroughly, and it is sometimes difficult to get an accurate idea of the structure of their thinking. But then again, the objective of the book is to light your way through the main topics in medieval thinking.
Some articles are more exhaustive than others, and sometimes you get the feeling that you are not necessarily reading a university text but separated comments on philosophy.
The book works great as an introduction to medieval philosophy for beginners or as a complement for more advanced readers. Any how, you will always need to go to additional bibliography.