This course contributes to the students' professional development by guiding them through the history of medieval philosophy from a dual perspective: understanding the questions and the best way to formulate them, and examining the proposed answers?always shaped by their historical contexts?while discerning what we have inherited from that past which continues to shape us. It supports students? formation through the methodical exercise of reflection and critical questioning on the problems of human existence.
Medieval philosophy, as a whole, represents a profound attempt to bring together Greek philosophy and Christian religion?arguably the most successful such synthesis. Since Greece and Christianity are perhaps the two fundamental pillars upon which our culture is built, it seems inevitable to view the great medieval thinkers as the architects of the fusion that has shaped our modern mentality.
For this reason, reflecting on the great problems of philosophy in the Middle Ages will help students in their effort to understand our present condition?not only in the strictly philosophical sphere, but also in other cultural domains (sociological, artistic, political, ethical, economic, or scientific), which to a greater or lesser extent are heirs to those medieval frameworks. Thus, if we manage to look at ourselves through the lens of the Middle Ages, we will surely come to know ourselves a little better.
UNIT 1: Toward the Middle Ages
Topic 1: Philosophy and Christianity
1.1 Christian philosophy. Creation
1.2 Greek apologists
1.3 Gnosticism
1.4 Latin apologists
1.5 The School of Alexandria
Topic 2: Saint Augustine
2.1 The Confessions
2.2 Religion and philosophy
2.3 Truth and illumination
2.4 God and creation
2.5 The City of God
UNIT 2: The Development of Philosophy in the Three Great Cultures
Topic 3: Toward Scholasticism
3.1 John Scotus Eriugena
3.2 Dialecticians and anti-dialecticians
3.3 Saint Anselm
3.4 The dispute over universals
3.5 Mysticism: Hugh and Richard of Saint Victor
Topic 4: Arab and Jewish Philosophies
4.1 Al-Farabi and Avicenna
4.2 Al-Ghazali
4.3 Ibn Tufayl
4.4 Averroes
4.5 Avicebron and Maimonides
UNIT 3: Thought in the 13th and 14th Centuries ? The Height and Crisis of Scholasticism
Topic 5: Philosophy and Theology in the 13th Century
5.1 The recovery of Aristotle in the West
5.2 The Aristotelian controversy at the University of Paris
5.3 Latin Averroism
5.4 Saint Bonaventure
5.5 Ramon Llull
Topic 6: Thomas Aquinas
6.1 Reason and faith
6.2 Theory of being
6.3 Theory of knowledge
6.4 The mystery of God
6.5 Anthropology and politics
Topic 7: The Crisis of Scholasticism
7.1 Duns Scotus
7.2 William of Ockham
7.3 Meister Eckhart
? Lecture-based method: Presentation of theoretical content through lectures delivered by the professor.
? Text and document analysis: Individual reading of materials that cover the main contents of the course, followed by in-class discussion and sharing.
? Written presentation method: Completion of text commentaries and questionnaires on the fundamental concepts of each topic.
In order to be assessed in the regular exam session, all activities subject to evaluation must have been completed. The assessable activities must be submitted on the dates indicated by the instructor. If, for any duly justified reason that has been communicated to the instructor, it has not been possible to submit them within the established period, they may be handed in before the date of the final exam of the subject, so that the instructor can grade them. However, in this case, the instructor will not be obliged to provide the student with feedback on those activities.
On the other hand, the student has the right to take the final written exam, even if they have not submitted all other evaluable activities. However, the final grade for the subject will only be calculated if all activities have been submitted, and in accordance with the evaluation criteria and weightings established in this course guide. If any activity subject to evaluation has not been submitted or completed, the student will be marked as ?Not presented? for that exam session.
EXTRAORDINARY EXAM SESSION (IN-PERSON/ONLINE):
The evaluation criteria are the same as in the regular exam session, so all evaluation activities covered in the course must be provided. The grades for activities already completed (including the final written exam) will be retained, pending completion of the remaining ones. The same weighting criteria as in the regular assessment will be applied. This measure will only apply for the current academic year; if the extraordinary session is not passed, re-enrolment will require repeating the entire subject.
Written exams: 40%
Task analysis: 30%
Oral exams: 20%
Group work: 10%
Primary sources will be indicated in the work plan for each unit. The main secondary sources are as follows:
Canals, F., Historia de la filosofía Medieval, Barcelona, Herder, 1982.
Cruz, M., Historia del Pensamiento en el Mundo Islámico 2 Vol, Madrid, Alianza.1989.
Fraile, G., Historia de la filosofía medieval, Madrid, BAC, 1986.
García del Muro, J., Santo Tomás de Aquino, Barcelona, RBA, 2015
Gilson, E., La filosofía en la Edad Media, Madrid, Gredos, 1972.
Ramón Guerrero, R., Historia de la filosofía medieval, Madrid, Akal, 1999.
Arendt, H., El concepto de amor en San Agustín, Madrid, Encuentro, 2001.
Copleston, F., Historia de la filosofía, II-III, Barcelona, Ariel, 1975.
Chesterton, G K., Santo Tomás de Aquino, Madrid, Austral, 2011.
Chevalier, J., Historia del pensamiento, II, Madrid, Aguilar, 1960.
De Wohl, L., La Luz apacible, Madid, Palabra, 2009.
Fernandez, C., Los filósofos medievales. Selección de textos, Madrid, BAC, 2 vols., 1979.
Flasch, K., Introduction à la philosophie medievale, París, Flammarion, 1998.
Gilson, E: El espíritu de la filosofía medieval, Madrid, Rialp, 2004.
Heinzmann, R., La filosofía de la Edad Media, Barcelona, Herder, 1995.
Jaeger, W., Cristianismo primitivo y paideia griega, México D.F., FCE, 1971.
Libera, A. de, Pensar en la Edad Media, Barcelona, Anthropos, 2000.
Magnavacca, S., Léxico Técnico de Filosofía Medieval, Buenos Aires, Miño y Dávila, 2005.
Muralt, A., La apuesta de la filosofía medieval, Madrid, Marcial Pons, 2008.
Parain, B. (ed.), La filosofía medieval en occidente, Madrid, Siglo XXI, 1990.
Pernoud, R., Para acabar con la Edad Media, Palma de Mallorca, Olañeta de, 2010.
Pieper, J., Filosofía medieval y mundo moderno, Madrid, Rialp, 1973.
Ramón Guerrero, R.: Filosofías árabe y judía, Madrid, Ed. Síntesis, 2001.
Reale, G. y Antiseri, D Historia del pensamiento filosófico y científico, tomo I, Barcelona, Herder, 1988.
Saranyana, J.I., La Filosofía medieval, Pamplona, Eunsa, 1999.
Vignaux, P., El pensamiento en la Edad Media, Madrid, FCE, 1997, 6ª reimpresión.
Yabri, M., El legado filosófico árabe, Madrid, Editorial Trotta, 2006, 2ª ed.