THE MEDIEVAL INTELLECTUAL REVIVAL 1000-1300
How did the recovery of classical learning affect
medieval intellectual life?
Obj: What factors allowed Europeans
to dedicate themselves to basic
education?
BACKGROUND & GROWTH OF SCHOOLS
• 4 MAJOR INTELLECTUAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS: EXPANSION OF PRIMARY
ED, SPREAD OF UNIV., ACQUISITION
OF CLASSICAL & MUSLIM KNOWLEDGE, DEVELOPMENT OF NEW
PHILOSOPHICAL & THEOLOGICAL
IDEAS
• TOGETHER THESE 4 MARK BEGINNING
OF EXTRAORDINARY ERA IN INTELLECTUAL HISTORY OF EUROPE
• PRIMARY SCHOOLS OF CAROLINGIAN
ERA – MONASTERY SCHOOLS
• CATHEDRAL SCHOOLS EDUCATED ALL
• CURRICULUM EXPANDED FROM
PURELY RELIGIOUS TO SECULAR
• NEED FOR EDUCATED CLERICS,
BUREAUCRATS, LAWYERS ETC.
• GROWTH OF LITERACY, VERNACULAR
THE RISE OF THE UNIVERSITIES
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UNIVERSITY WAS EDUCATION GUILD
SPECIFIC DRESS TO IDENTIFY TEACHERS & STUDENTS
RISE OF MODERN STATE & ECONOMIC
GROWTH LED TO INTEREST IN LAW
UNIVERSITY OF BOLOGNA – JUSTINIAN CODE – W/ DISAGREEMENTS ON
THE RISE NEED MEDIATION
REVIVAL COINCIDED W/ LAY INVEST.
LATE 11TH C. MANUSCRIPT OF CODE
DISCOVERED IN PISA (CRUSADES?)
SALERNO – MEDICINE, TRANSLATIONS OF ARABIC MEDICAL TEXTS
INTO LATIN
UNIVERSITY OF PARIS – CENTER OF N.
EUROPEAN INTELLECTUAL LIFE DUE TO
PETER ABELARD
PETER ABELARD (10791142) & UNIVERSITY OF
PARIS
*ADEPT AT LOGIC, LOVED TO
HUMILIATE & CREATED ENEMIES
AS A RESULT
*MARRIAGE TO HELOISE
*LIFE AS MONK
*TEACHER IN PARIS 1132-1141
*URGED INTENSE SELF-EXAMINATION & ANALYSIS OF HUMAN
MOTIVES KNOW THYSELF
*AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ACCOUNT
THE STORY OF MY CALAMATIES
*GREATEST CONTRIBUTIONS TO
DEVELOPMENT OF SCHOLASTICISM SIC ET NON – TREAT
THEOLOGY LIKE SCIENCE
*1 OF 1ST TO TRY TO HARMONIZE
RELIGION W/ RATIONALISM
THE TRIUMPH OF SCHOLASTICISM
• 3 EVENTS FOR SCHOLASTIC
MATURITY: 1) ABELARD
• 2) BOOK OF SENTENCES BY PETER
LOMBARD; QUESTIONS IN
CONSEQUENTIAL ORDER, ANSWERS
FROM BIBLE & CHRISTIAN AUTHORITIES & PROPOSED JUDGEMENTS
• 3) REACQUISITION OF CLASSICAL
PHILOSOPHY AFTER 1140 – NOW
COULD ACCESS ARISTOTLE
• PETER LOMBARDS ORGANIZATIONAL
METHOD, CONSIDERE GREEK &
ARABIC PHILOSOPHICAL
AUTHORITIES AS WELL AS CHRISTIAN
ONES IN ORDER TO CONSTRUCT
SYSTEMS OF UNDERSTANDING THAT
HARMONIZED FAITH & REASON
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 1225-1274 & TEACHING
THEOLOGY
• SUMMA THEOLOGICA – COLLECTION
OF THEOLOGICAL QUESTIONS
• MAINTAINED IMPORTANT DISTINCTION BETWEEN FAITH & REASON
• FAITH COULD BE DEFENDED BY
REASON
• CREATED NEW AREA IN PHILOSOPHY
• EPISTEMOLOGY – HOW A PERSON
KNOWS SOMETHING & FOR ST.
THOMAS AQUINAS THERE WERE 2
WAYS:
• 1) SENSES & 2) MIND