MDV 2100
Philosophical schools in Paris in the twelfth century
January 14th 2009
R. Southern, “The Schools of Paris and the School of Chartres” in R. Benson and G. Constable (eds.), Renaissance and Renewal in the Twelfth Century (Oxford, 1982).
J. Marenbon, The Philosophy of Peter Abelard, Cambridge, CambridgeUniversity Press, 1997.
John of Salisbury, The Metalogicon of John of Salisbury, Translated with an Introduction & Notes by D.D. McGarry, Gloucester, Peter Smith, 1971.
Peter Abelard, The Story of Abelard’s Adversities, a Translation with Notes of the Historia calamitatum by J. T. Muckle. With a preface by Étienne Gilson, Toronto, Pontifical Institute for Mediaeval Studies, 1954.
Abelard
[1]To begin, I was born in a town called Le Pallet in Britanny …
[2] Since I preferred the armor of logic to all the teaching of philosophy, I exchanged all other arms for it and chose the contests of disputation above the trophies of warfare. And so practicing logic I wandered about the various provinces and became thereby like the Peripatetics.
[3]I finally reached Paris where this branch of learning was especially cultivated and enrolled under William of Champeaux, a man who at the time was an outstanding teacher in this branch both in reputation and in fact. I remained under him for some time; at first I was welcome but after a while he found me burdensome as I began to question him …; sometimes I was apparently the winner in the discussions.
[4]At that time I returned to him to hear him lecturing on rhetoric. Among other essays at discussion I forced him by clear proofs from reasoning to change, yes, to abandon his old stand on universals. For he held the position on the common existence of universals that the same thing exists wholly and essentially in all individuals of a class and that there is no distinction of essence in them but only variety through multiplicity of accidents.
[5]I returned to Paris from Melun hoping for peace henceforth so far as I was concerned. But because, as I have mentioned, he had put a rival in my formed chair, I pitched camp for my school outside the city on Mount St. Geneviève.
[6][Then] my teacher William … changed his state and entered the Order of Regular Clerics. (…) But this did not withdraw him from Paris or from his former philosophical pursuits. On the contrary, he immediately conducted a public school as formerly, right in the monastery (i.e. saint-Victor) to which he had gone for a life in religion.
[7]From then on my teaching gained such strength and prestige that those who formerly had somewhat vigorously championed the position of our master and had most forcefully attacked mine now flocked to my school and even he who had taken over the chair of our master in the cathedral school of Paris offered his place to me that along with other students he might follow my lectures right where our common master had held sway.
John of Salisbury
[8]When, still but a youth, I first journeyed to Gaul for the sake of study, in the year following the death of the illustrious king of the English …. I betook myself to the Peripatetic of Pallet, who was then teaching at Mont Ste. Geneviève. The latter was a famed and learned master, admired by all. At his feet I learned the elementary principles of his art (i.e. dialectic).
[9]After his departure, which seemed to me all too soon, I became the disciple of Master Alberic, who had a very high reputation as the best of the other dialecticians. Alberic was in fact a most bitter opponent of the Nominalist sect. After thus passing almost two full years at the Mont, I had, as instructors in this art, Alberic and also Master Robert of Melun.
[10]Afterwards Alberic departed for Bologna, where he “unlearned” what he had formerly taught; and subsequently, on returning, “untaught” it. But Robert became proficient in divine learning, and acquire the glory of a still higher philosophy and greater renown.
[11]I had learned the subject of dialectic so thoroughly that, with youthful lack of reflection, I unduly exaggerated my own knowledge. I took myself to be a young sage, inasmuch as I knew the answers to what I had been taught. However, I recovered my senses, and took stock of my powers. I then transferred, after deliberation and consultation, and with the approval of my instructors, to the grammarian of Conches. I studied under the latter for three years, during which I learned much.
[12] Following this I became a disciple of Richard, known as the ‘Bishop’. Richard is familiar with practically every branch of knowledge. His breast is larger than his mouth, and his knowledge exceeds his eloquence … With Richard I reviewed all that I had studied under the others, as well as learned certain additional points concerning the Quadrivium …
[13]Consequently, I had recourse to Master Adam (i.e. Adam du Petit Pont) with whom I became very intimate. Adam is a man of very keen intellect, and also, regardless of what others may think, a person of wide learning. He was especially devoted to the study of Aristotle.
[14][Then] I taught the first principles of logic to William of Soissons. William later, according to his followers, invented a device to revolutionize the old logic by constructing unacceptable conclusions and demolishing the authoritative opinions of the ancients.
[15]My pinched finances, the entreaties of my associates, and the advice of friends induced me to assume the office of teacher. At the end of three years I returned and sought out Master Gilbert, whose disciple I became in dialectical and theological subjects.
[16]Next, Simon of Poissy (a.k.a Simon of Paris), a dependable lecturer, but rather dull in disputes, took me as his student. [But they, i.e. Gilbert and Simon] only instructed me in theology. I had thus spent almost twelve years engaged in various activities.
Some key words (and names): trivium, quadrivium, theology (divine science), Aristotle nominalism, realism