The Cambridge Companion to Ockham

by Paul Vincent Spade (Editor)

Overview

The Franciscan William of Ockham was an English medieval philosopher, theologian, and political theorist. Ockham is important not only in the history of philosophy and theology, but also in the development of early modern science and of modern notions of property rights and church-state relations. This volume offers a full discussion of all significant aspects of Ockham's thought: logic, philosophy of language, metaphysics and natural philosophy, epistemology, ethics, action theory, political thought and theology. It is the first study of Ockham in any language to make full use of the new critical editions of his works, and to consider recent discoveries concerning his life, education, and influences.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521587907
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	12/13/1999
Series:	Cambridge Companions to Philosophy
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	440
Product dimensions:	6.02(w) x 8.94(h) x 1.02(d)

Table of Contents

Introduction Paul Vincent Spade; 1. The academic and intellectual worlds of Ockham William J. Courtenay; 2. Some aspects of Ockham's logic C. G. Normore; 3. Semantics and mental language Claude Panaccio; 4. Is there synonymy in Ockham's mental language? David Chalmers; 5. Ockham's nominalist metaphysics: some main themes Paul Vincent Spade; 6. Ockham's semantics and ontology of the categories Gyula Klima; 7. Ockham's philosophy of nature André Goddu; 8. The mechanisms of cognition: Ockham on mediating species Eleonore Stump; 9. Ockham's misunderstood theory of intuitive and abstractive cognition Elizabeth Karger; 10. Ockham's ethical theory Peter King; 11. Ockham on will, nature and morality Marilyn McCord Adams; 12. Natural law and moral omnipotence A. S. McGrade; 13. The political writings John Kilcullen; 14. Ockham on faith and reason Alfred J. Freddoso; 15. Ockham's repudiation of Pelagianism Rega Wood.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"This collection of essays on the philosophy and theology of 14th-century Franciscan friar William of Ockham is a welcome addition to the 35 prior volumes in the 'Cambridge Companions to Philosophy' series. The essays are carefully written, inviting the interest of the neophyte student of medieval thought...while at the same time retaining an exceedingly high standard of scholarship with copious references to the new edition of Ockham's writings..." Choice

"The Cambridge Companion to Ockham should prove to be a valuable resource for those making their first forays into the texts of an important and often challenging medieval thinker. It should also suggest new avenues for research on the part of advanced students." Review of Metaphysics

"serves as a useful guide, explaining Ockham's terminology, relevant background in Aristotle's works and other sources, and the philosophical import of seemingly arcane questions...Some represent an impressive combination of insight and clarity" Ethics

Editorial Reviews

Spade (philosophy, Indiana U.) presents 15 contributions that touch on the main aspects of Ockham's life and thought. Topics include major events and influences in Ockham's career as an academic and as a political polemicist; his ideas on logic, nominalist metaphysics, criticism of "old way" semantics, natural philosophy, epistemology, ethics, politics, the liberty of indifference, faith and reason, and semantics and the role "mental language" plays in it. Contributors also present discussion of the view that Ockham rejected synonymy in mental language, and a defense against the frequent charge that his theology of salvation is in effect a version of the ancient heresy known as Pelagianism. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

"This collection of essays on the philosophy and theology of 14th-century Franciscan friar William of Ockham is a welcome addition to the 35 prior volumes in the 'Cambridge Companions to Philosophy' series. The essays are carefully written, inviting the interest of the neophyte student of medieval thought...while at the same time retaining an exceedingly high standard of scholarship with copious references to the new edition of Ockham's writings..." Choice

"The Cambridge Companion to Ockham should prove to be a valuable resource for those making their first forays into the texts of an important and often challenging medieval thinker. It should also suggest new avenues for research on the part of advanced students." Review of Metaphysics

"serves as a useful guide, explaining Ockham's terminology, relevant background in Aristotle's works and other sources, and the philosophical import of seemingly arcane questions...Some represent an impressive combination of insight and clarity" Ethics

From the Publisher