Authentic philosophy?

1
Nature of Medieval Philosophy

1. Authentic philosophy?
2. Roots in patristic period
3. Philosophys prejudice submission to theology
4. Relationship between theology and philosophy
5. Main phases and traditions

2
Authentic Philosophy

• Some argue that there was no authentic philosophy
  in the Middle Ages, because reasoning was
  completely secondary to religion and faith.
• Philosophy began with the Greeks (Plato and
  Aristotle) and there method was independent of
  theology and the Book tradition.
• The method of philosophy requires reasoning and
  argumentation, and cannot accept anything based
  on faith.

3
Authentic Philosophy?

• Theological issues and philosophy
• Natural theology is philosophy
• Scriptural ideas create philosophical issues
• All classical part of philosophy are present in
  medieval philosophy
• Practice of disputations
• Critical rigor and self criticism

4
Scripture and Philosophical Issues

• Creation
• Soul
• God
• Ethics
• Grace Freedom Self-determinism
• Evil
• Epistemology- What can we know about God

5
Roots in Patristic Period

• The first 300 years of Christian thought
• The commencement of theology.
• The first council of Nicaea 325
• The struggle between reason and faith, and
  philosophy and theology.

6
Philosophy the Handmaiden of Theology

• Theology comes first
• Faith comes first
• If the truths of philosophy/reason and
  theology/faith/bible contradict, then there must
  be something wrong with our reasoning.
• Philosophy cannot grasp truth on its own it
  requires faith.
• Philosophy can help us understand faith.

7
The Role and Importance of Philosophy Grows

• The role of philosophy grows with Augustine
  (Platonic) and Aquinas (Aristotelian).
• However it remains dependent on Theology until
  the Modern Era.
• Reason can help us more than we previously
  believed.
• Moreover, through reason alone many things can be
  known.
• Finally, it is better to know than simply to
  believe.

8
Main Phases

• MIDDLE AGES
• Patristic Period 50-300 ADE
• Augustine 354-430
• Dark Ages 500-1000
• Scholasticism 1000-1400
• High Scholasticism Thomas Aquinas 1224-1275
• Renaissance 1400-1600