PHI308: Medieval Philosophy
Key details
| Accredited towards | Bachelor of Arts in the Liberal Arts |
| Unit type | Elective unit |
| Credit points | 6 |
| Indicative contact hours | 3 hours per week |
| Prerequisites | None |
| Offered in | Semester 2 |
| Tuition fee | Learn more |
Overview
This unit deals with some of the key themes and debates within medieval philosophy. It begins by introducing students to the Aristotelian hylomorphism of St Thomas Aquinas, with specific attention to Aquinas’ hylomorphic theory of the human person. It continues by introducing students to the medieval debate over universals, looking at such figures as Porphyry, Boethius, Duns Scotus and William of Ockham. It then explores the philosophical and theological controversies surrounding Latin Averroism. The course concludes with a brief examination of the natural theology of St Anselm and Aquinas. A background theme throughout the course will be different conceptions of the relationship between reason and faith. While the course will be chiefly devoted to philosophy in medieval Christendom, we will also touch on the work of some of the major philosophers in the medieval Islamic world, such as Avicenna and Averroes.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this unit of study, students will be able to:
- Examine the key terms, concepts and theses of medieval Aristotelian hylomorphism
- Analyse key aspects of the medieval debate over universals
- Explore and explain the medieval attempt to reconcile Aristotelian natural philosophy with Christian faith
- Understand some of the classic medieval proofs for the existence of God
- Reconstruct philosophical arguments from medieval primary sources
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