Medieval philosophy belongs to the era of feudalism.It is the reign of religious outlook, which is reflected in theology.Therefore, first of all, medieval philosophy - maid of theology.Its main feature - the proof of the existence of God, the interpretation of Scripture, a statement of the tenets of the Church.Along the way, developing logic, it developed the concept of personality (a difference of essence and hypostasis) and curled priority disputes general or individual.
In its development medieval philosophy has passed through three phases and accordingly directions:
- Apologetics.Build capacity to carry out study in humans holistic worldview, based on the text of Scripture.The main representatives of this phase of medieval philosophy: Origen and Tertullian saints.
- Patristics.Period of renewal of Christian doctrine, the establishment of public order and define the role of the church to the community.Medieval philosophy at this stage is represented by Augustine of Hippo and John Chrysostom.Fathers of the Christian Church believe the Bible absolute truth and say that God is beyond the scope of the intelligible and the sensible, which means that it is impossible to define in words.The only way of knowledge - faith.All the troubles and evil, the wrong choice of the people themselves.
- Scholastica.The interpretation and justification of major religious dogmas.In this time of medieval philosophy was represented by Thomas Aquinas and Anselm of Canterbury.They believed that everything about our knowledge of the world can be found in the Bible and the works of Aristotle.They need to extract from by interpretation.
Fundamental Principles
- Full unquestioning worship of God and the will of the Church - is the main common characteristic of medieval philosophy.
- God created the world from nothing in seven days.Therefore, all that they have, people owe him.History is interpreted as the realization of the divine plan.Almighty directs humanity to the coming of the kingdom of God on earth.
- Bible - the oldest and the truthfulness of the Book, the Word of God.His Testament - the object of faith is the only measure for the evaluation of any theory and philosophy.
- The authority of the church.The true author, who is worth listening to - God.Authoritative interpreters of his work and revelation - church fathers.A person is allowed to explore the world as a commentator.True knowledge belongs only to God.
- art of interpretation of old and new Testament.Bible - the sole criterion of truth.It is a complete set of laws being.Scripture - the beginning and end of any philosophical theories.It is - the basis for thought: analysis of words and meanings, the total amount of ideas.
- Magisterium and edification: total installation on education, training and promotion of salvation, that is, to God.Form - treatises, dialogues for teachers and students who heard.The main qualities: encyclopedic, a high level of knowledge of Scripture and proficiency through formal logic of Aristotle.
- Optimism - as a common spirit.God is incomprehensible, but his instructions can be understood through faith.The possibility of their own salvation, resurrection and eternal life, the final triumph (on a cosmic scale) Christian truth.The symbiosis of sacred and profane.Christian philosophy uses the following forms of knowledge: revelation, intuitive knowledge, intelligence and divine revelation.
course, medieval philosophy carried a lot of problems.Here are the main ones:
- world exists thanks to God who created him.
- the Will of God and the world he created, almost comprehensible by man.
- Medieval philosophy determined the place and role of people in the world through the prism of the salvation of their souls.
- nesochetanie absolute freedom of human will and divine necessity.
- definition of common sole and separate the doctrine of the trinity.
- Let God - goodness, truth and beauty, then where was the evil and why he tolerates it?
- ratio Biblical truths and the human mind.
