Medieval Philosophy

This Medieval Philosophy course follows the approach of Ancient Philosophy, emphasizing philosophical principles as they emerge through the narrative of human thought. It begins with a brief introduction to medieval philosophy, including its relationship to religion; a comparison of the terms ancient, medieval, and modern; the medieval attitude toward Greek philosophy; the image of the history of philosophy as a tree; and an overview of Saint Augustine and Saint Thomas Aquinas as two of the great medieval thinkers. Through these studies, students consider how the Christian faith and the recovery of Greek philosophy shaped the development of medieval thought and its enduring questions. Students then study philosophers in chronological succession: (1) Saint John the Evangelist, (2) Saint Augustine, (3) Boethius, (4) Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, (5) Saint Anselm, (6) Avicenna, (7) Averroes, (8) Saint Bonaventure, and (9) Saint Thomas Aquinas.