Pivotal concepts in the political philosophy of william of. For further details of ockhams life, see courtenay 1999. Political philosophy is written in a fresh and easily readable style and is ideally suited to students taking introductory courses in political theory and philosophy as well as the general reader. He is the author of the routledge philosophy guidebook to hegel and. Ian smith is a philosophy major at the state university of new york at oswego. It is no wonder, therefore, that even a major philosopher like ockham remains largely unknown to modern readers. William of ockham, also known as william ockham and william of occam, was a fourteenthcentury english philosopher. The political thought of william ockham cambridge studies in medieval life and thought.
Aquinas perfected the great medieval synthesis of faith and reason and was canonized by the catholic church. By calling this pursuit political philosophy, we imply that it forms a part of a larger whole. Munich, germany, 49 philosophy, theology, political theory. In the light of its principles by armand maurer studies and texts, no 3. Ockhams moral doctrine has often been summarily dismissed as voluntaristic, authoritarian, fideistic, and even skeptical.
Earlier biographies generally put the date in 1285, but scholars now put it later. Bayley although we still lack a definitive work on william of ockhams political philosophy, the foundations for this arduous enterprise are being laid by the new edition of the opera politica,7 which will in due course release the student from his bondage to the fre. On the other hand, he was convinced that pure philosophical reasoning suffices anyway for decisively refuting realism regarding universals, since all its variants turn out to be ultimately selfcontradictory, as. William of ockham simple english wikipedia, the free. Voluntarism is any metaphysical or psychological system that assigns to the will latin. Further reading august hasler, how the pope became infallible. William of ockham by individual philosopher philosophy. There is a still another fundamental sense in which political theory is linked to philosophy. By virtue of this alliance, political theorists accepted as their own the basic quest of the philosopher for systematic knowledge. Summoned to avignon in 24 to answer charges of heresy, ockham became convinced that pope john xxii was himself a heretic in denying the complete poverty of christ and the apostles and a tyrant in claiming supremacy over the roman empire. Ockhams rejection of universals also had a theological aspect.
Traditionally regarded as the initiator of the movement called nominalism, which dominated the universities of northern europe in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries and played a significant role in shaping the directions of modern thought. He was born around 1285, in ockham, surrey, england, and died april 9, 47 in munich. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. This edition includes textual markings referring readers to appendices containing changes in. This volume contains selections of ockhams philosophical writings which give a balanced introductory view of his work in logic, metaphysics, and ethics. This edition includes textual markings referring readers to appendices containing changes in the latin text and alterations found in the english translation that have been made necessary by the critical edition of. Mcgrade, the political thought of william of ockham cambridge.
John kilcullen, the political writings and peter king, ockhams ethical theory in the cambridge companion to ockham. Students need to demonstrate a thorough knowledge of four subfields of political theory on the comprehensive examination. William of ockham, franciscan philosopher, theologian, and political writer, a late scholastic thinker regarded as the founder of a form of nominalismthe school of thought that denies that universal concepts such as father have any reality apart. Ockhamism, so named because it was developed and defended by the fourteenthcentury philosopher william of ockham, is a longenduring response to fatalist arguments.
The political thought of william ockham by arthur stephen. A history priory of the immaculate conception at the. The topics range from ontology, psychology, theory of cognition, epistemology, and natural science to ethics and political philosophy. Thomas aquinas, john duns scotus and averroes, he is one of the major figures of late medieval scholastic thought, and was at the center of the major intellectual and political controversies of the 14th century. Nevertheless, the situation has improved dramatically in recent decades. Summa logicae introduction o ckham s summa logicae the logic handbook, written ca. I try to learn english with your adorable file and i listen to this podcasts. He is probably best known today for his espousal of metaphysical nominalism. John kilcullen, the political writings and peter king, ockham s ethical theory in the cambridge companion to ockham. This description has been applied to various points of view from different cultural eras in the areas of metaphysics.
Occams razor, principle stated by the scholastic philosopher william of ockham 12854749 that plurality should not be posited without necessity. Fatalism, the thesis that it is impossible for anyone to act freely, comes in two varieties. For an account of ockham s life, including a discussion of how these dates are calculated in ockham s case, see wood 1997, chap. Logical fatalists begin their argument with the assumption that no matter what. Since political philosophy is a branch of philosophy, even the most provisional explanation of what political philosophy is, cannot dispense with an explanation, however provisional, of what philosophy is.
Pontifical institute of mediaeval studies every philosophy is sustained by a number of elemental principles that give it cohesion and unity. For an account of ockhams life, including a discussion of how these dates are calculated in ockhams case, see wood 1997, chap. And i do not think that father boehner would express himself in quite the way. William of ockham complete dictionary of scientific biography copyright 2008 charles scribners sons 94119 minutes ockham, william of b. For further details of ockham s life, see courtenay 1999.
Expertly edited and introduced by established scholars, each volume represents a particular philosophical era, replete with important selections of the most in. Occams razor also ockhams razor or any of several other spellings, is a principle attributed to the 14th century english logician and franciscan friar, william of ockham that forms the basis of methodological reductionism, also called the principle of parsimony. William of ockham was a franciscan friar who lived in the 14th century. Dudley knowles is senior lecturer in philosophy at the university of glasgow. William of ockham stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. Introduction to philosophywhat is political philosophy. After that he abandoned philosophy and theology proper, producing instead a series of political tracts on the ecclesiastical and secular power of the papacy. Project muse some notes on a recent interpretation of. The philosophy of william of ockham in the light of its principles. This volume demonstrates that the reactions to ockhams philosophy and theology were manifold, but one particular kind of reception is missing.
1286 321 775 954 696 10 942 625 376 193 620 262 1275 915 1190 766 1123 164 1213 986 347 171 976 413 932 1052 812 385