Five Texts on the Mediaeval Problem of Universals: Porphyry, Boethius, Abelard, Duns Scotus, Ockham (Paperback)

~ Paul Vincent Spade (Editor)

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Product Description

New translations of the central medieval texts on the problem of universals are presented here in an affordable edition suitable for use in courses in medieval philosophy, history of medieval philosophy, and universals. Includes a concise introduction, glossary of important terms, notes, and bibliography.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Greek, Latin --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Hackett Pub Co Inc (March 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0872202496
• ISBN-13: 978-0872202498
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #468,062 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning Introduction to the Complex Medieval Theory of 'Universals', February 2, 2008

By	Mithridates VI of Pontus (United States) - See all my reviews

"It is easy to motivate the problem of universals. Consider these two capital letters: A A. Ignore everything else about them and for now observe only that they are of the same color; they are both black.... Isn't it obvious that you see two colors here, two blacknesses: the blackness of the first A, this blackness, and then the blackness of the second A, that blackness?... But aren't they visually as distinct as the two letters themselves?... The problem of universals is in effect the problem of deciding between these answers" (pg vii).

The reason I included this long quote is to illustrate Paul Vincent Spade's wonderful introduction. He describes in a nutshell the underling problem of Universals in a clear and precise way. This is especially important since the the Late Antique and Medieval philosophers who developed on the theory never manage to explain themselves this precisely. The importance of clarity and concise analysis is vital since the Medieval dialogue about the nature of Universals is complex, sometimes excruciatingly difficult, and an introduction which lays out the basic premises and questions is the first step of comprehension! Also, the introduction briefly summarizes each text EXCERPT and information on each author present in the volume. This volume includes excerpts from from Porhyry's 'Isagoge,' Boethius' 'Second Commentary on Porphyry's Isagoge,' Peter Abelard's Glosses on Porphyry in his 'Logica 'ingredientibus,'' John Duns Scotus 'Ordinatio,' and William of Ockham's 'Ordinatio'. These excerpts trace in chronological order the main philosophers involved with the question of Universals starting with the questions first posed by Porphyry.

The introduction and excerpts form an amazing (yet still somewhat difficult) text for a student interested in Medieval Philosophy. However, the volume's wonderful index of the main terms is a great tool for easy clarification and reference. This is simply an invaluable resource and a great starting point for the study of the Medieval problem of Universals!